diff --git a/names.c b/names.c
index a1fc1ba3..5821d94a 100644
--- a/names.c
+++ b/names.c
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ queue_window_name(struct window *w)
 	tv.tv_sec = 0;
 	tv.tv_usec = NAME_INTERVAL * 1000L;
 
-	evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
 	evtimer_set(&w->name_timer, window_name_callback, w);
 	evtimer_add(&w->name_timer, &tv);
 }
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index ba5077e5..2f84f011 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -153,11 +153,13 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 
 	evtimer_del(&c->repeat_timer);
 
-	evtimer_del(&c->identify_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&c->identify_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&c->identify_timer);
 
 	if (c->message_string != NULL)
 		xfree(c->message_string);
-	evtimer_del(&c->message_timer);
+	if (event_initialized (&c->message_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&c->message_timer);
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(&c->message_log); i++) {
 		msg = &ARRAY_ITEM(&c->message_log, i);
 		xfree(msg->msg);
@@ -176,7 +178,8 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 
 	close(c->ibuf.fd);
 	imsg_clear(&c->ibuf);
-	event_del(&c->event);
+	if (event_initialized(&c->event))
+		event_del(&c->event);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(&dead_clients); i++) {
 		if (ARRAY_ITEM(&dead_clients, i) == NULL) {
diff --git a/server-fn.c b/server-fn.c
index b9b7b714..66298571 100644
--- a/server-fn.c
+++ b/server-fn.c
@@ -453,7 +453,8 @@ server_set_identify(struct client *c)
 	tv.tv_sec = delay / 1000;
 	tv.tv_usec = (delay % 1000) * 1000L;
 
-	evtimer_del(&c->identify_timer);
+	if (event_initialized (&c->identify_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&c->identify_timer);
 	evtimer_set(&c->identify_timer, server_callback_identify, c);
 	evtimer_add(&c->identify_timer, &tv);
 
@@ -491,7 +492,8 @@ server_update_event(struct client *c)
 		events |= EV_READ;
 	if (c->ibuf.w.queued > 0)
 		events |= EV_WRITE;
-	event_del(&c->event);
+	if (event_initialized(&c->event))
+		event_del(&c->event);
 	event_set(&c->event, c->ibuf.fd, events, server_client_callback, c);
 	event_add(&c->event, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 0342b5f1..8338fbe4 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -776,7 +776,8 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
 	tv.tv_sec = delay / 1000;
 	tv.tv_usec = (delay % 1000) * 1000L;
 
-	evtimer_del(&c->message_timer);
+	if (event_initialized (&c->message_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&c->message_timer);
 	evtimer_set(&c->message_timer, status_message_callback, c);
 	evtimer_add(&c->message_timer, &tv);
 
diff --git a/tty-keys.c b/tty-keys.c
index 91bf6503..37265dce 100644
--- a/tty-keys.c
+++ b/tty-keys.c
@@ -549,7 +549,8 @@ start_timer:
 	tv.tv_sec = delay / 1000;
 	tv.tv_usec = (delay % 1000) * 1000L;
 
-	evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&tty->key_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
 	evtimer_set(&tty->key_timer, tty_keys_callback, tty);
 	evtimer_add(&tty->key_timer, &tv);
 
@@ -573,7 +574,8 @@ found_key:
 	goto handle_key;
 
 handle_key:
-	evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&tty->key_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
 
 	if (key != KEYC_NONE)
 		tty->key_callback(key, &mouse, tty->key_data);
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index c7e603c1..4ea999ba 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -279,7 +279,8 @@ tty_close(struct tty *tty)
 		tty->log_fd = -1;
 	}
 
-	evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&tty->key_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&tty->key_timer);
 	tty_stop_tty(tty);
 
 	if (tty->flags & TTY_OPENED) {
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 0489d105..f0061293 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -350,7 +350,8 @@ window_destroy(struct window *w)
 	if (w->layout_root != NULL)
 		layout_free(w);
 
-	evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
+	if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
+		evtimer_del(&w->name_timer);
 
 	options_free(&w->options);