diff --git a/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c b/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
index 9cbe511be..9e3c8037d 100644
--- a/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
+++ b/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ lws_event_idle_timer_cb(int fd, short event, void *p)
 		}
 	}
 
+	lwsl_debug("%s: wait\n", __func__);
+
 	/* account for hrtimer */
 
 	lws_pt_lock(pt, __func__);
@@ -184,8 +186,8 @@ elops_init_pt_event(struct lws_context *context, void *_loop, int tsi)
 	pt->event.hrtimer = event_new(loop, -1, EV_PERSIST,
 				      lws_event_hrtimer_cb, pt);
 
-	pt->event.idle_timer = event_new(loop, -1, EV_PERSIST,
-				      lws_event_idle_timer_cb, pt);
+	pt->event.idle_timer = event_new(loop, -1, 0,
+					 lws_event_idle_timer_cb, pt);
 
 	/* Register the signal watcher unless it's a foreign loop */