diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 63432926..271568da 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const char     *client_exitsession;
 int		client_attached;
 
 int		client_get_lock(char *);
-int		client_connect(char *, int);
+int		client_connect(struct event_base *, char *, int);
 void		client_send_identify(int);
 int		client_write_one(enum msgtype, int, const void *, size_t);
 int		client_write_server(enum msgtype, const void *, size_t);
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ client_get_lock(char *lockfile)
 
 /* Connect client to server. */
 int
-client_connect(char *path, int start_server)
+client_connect(struct event_base *base, char *path, int start_server)
 {
 	struct sockaddr_un	sa;
 	size_t			size;
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ retry:
 			close(lockfd);
 			return (-1);
 		}
-		fd = server_start(lockfd, lockfile);
+		fd = server_start(base, lockfd, lockfile);
 	}
 	if (locked) {
 		free(lockfile);
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ client_exit_message(void)
 
 /* Client main loop. */
 int
-client_main(int argc, char **argv, int flags)
+client_main(struct event_base *base, int argc, char **argv, int flags)
 {
 	struct cmd		*cmd;
 	struct cmd_list		*cmdlist;
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ client_main(int argc, char **argv, int flags)
 	set_signals(client_signal);
 
 	/* Initialize the client socket and start the server. */
-	fd = client_connect(socket_path, cmdflags & CMD_STARTSERVER);
+	fd = client_connect(base, socket_path, cmdflags & CMD_STARTSERVER);
 	if (fd == -1) {
 		if (errno == ECONNREFUSED) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "no server running on %s\n",
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 9cddecd3..8308367d 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ server_create_socket(void)
 
 /* Fork new server. */
 int
-server_start(int lockfd, char *lockfile)
+server_start(struct event_base *base, int lockfd, char *lockfile)
 {
 	int	 pair[2];
 	char	*cause;
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ server_start(int lockfd, char *lockfile)
 
 	/* event_init() was called in our parent, need to reinit. */
 	clear_signals(0);
-	if (event_reinit(ev_base) != 0)
+	if (event_reinit(base) != 0)
 		fatal("event_reinit failed");
 
 	logfile("server");
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index e66d24c0..b984b903 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ struct options	 global_s_options;	/* session options */
 struct options	 global_w_options;	/* window options */
 struct environ	 global_environ;
 
-struct event_base *ev_base;
-
 char		*cfg_file;
 char		*shell_cmd;
 int		 debug_level;
@@ -386,6 +384,5 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setproctitle("%s (%s)", __progname, socket_path);
 
 	/* Pass control to the client. */
-	ev_base = event_init();
-	exit(client_main(argc, argv, flags));
+	exit(client_main(event_init(), argc, argv, flags));
 }
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 10b161de..3b67470f 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1407,7 +1407,6 @@ extern struct options global_options;
 extern struct options global_s_options;
 extern struct options global_w_options;
 extern struct environ global_environ;
-extern struct event_base *ev_base;
 extern char	*cfg_file;
 extern char	*shell_cmd;
 extern int	 debug_level;
@@ -1792,7 +1791,7 @@ int	cmd_string_parse(const char *, struct cmd_list **, const char *,
 void	cmd_wait_for_flush(void);
 
 /* client.c */
-int	client_main(int, char **, int);
+int	client_main(struct event_base *, int, char **, int);
 
 /* key-bindings.c */
 RB_PROTOTYPE(key_bindings, key_binding, entry, key_bindings_cmp);
@@ -1829,7 +1828,7 @@ void	 server_clear_marked(void);
 int	 server_is_marked(struct session *, struct winlink *,
 	     struct window_pane *);
 int	 server_check_marked(void);
-int	 server_start(int, char *);
+int	 server_start(struct event_base *, int, char *);
 void	 server_update_socket(void);
 void	 server_add_accept(int);