diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 0a4e2306..e53fc9c7 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -139,8 +139,11 @@ server_start(char *path)
 		fatal("daemon failed");
 
 	/* event_init() was called in our parent, need to reinit. */
+	if (setenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE", "1", 1) != 0)
+		fatal("setenv");
 	if (event_reinit(ev_base) != 0)
 		fatal("event_reinit failed");
+	unsetenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE");
 	clear_signals();
 
 	logfile("server");
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index e42e48d3..6edaf8f5 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -532,7 +532,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
+	if (setenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE", "1", 1) != 0)
+		fatal("setenv");
 	ev_base = event_init();
+	unsetenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE");
 	set_signals(main_signal);
 
 	/* Initialise the client socket/start the server. */