diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index af68c6e..60025d3 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ executable('ei-debug-events',
 if build_oeffis
     executable('oeffis-demo-tool',
                'oeffis-demo-tool.c',
+               c_args: ['-DMESON_BUILDDIR="@0@"'.format(meson.current_build_dir())],
                include_directories: [inc_builddir],
                dependencies: [dep_libutil, dep_liboeffis],
     )
diff --git a/tools/oeffis-demo-tool.c b/tools/oeffis-demo-tool.c
index 99f90ad..11e26ce 100644
--- a/tools/oeffis-demo-tool.c
+++ b/tools/oeffis-demo-tool.c
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@
 
 #include "liboeffis.h"
 
+#ifndef MESON_BUILDDIR
+#error MESON_BUILDDIR must be defined
+#endif
+
 DEFINE_UNREF_CLEANUP_FUNC(oeffis);
 
 static bool stop = false;
@@ -48,6 +52,21 @@ static void sighandler(int signal) {
 	stop = true;
 }
 
+static void start_debug_events(int fd)
+{
+	pid_t pid = fork();
+	assert(pid != -1);
+
+	if (pid == 0) {
+		_cleanup_free_ char *fdstr = xaprintf("%d", fd);
+		execl(MESON_BUILDDIR "/ei-debug-events",
+		      "ei-debug-events",
+		      "--socketfd", fdstr, NULL);
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to fork: %m\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	_unref_(oeffis) *oeffis = oeffis_new(NULL);
@@ -71,7 +90,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		case OEFFIS_EVENT_CONNECTED_TO_EIS: {
 			_cleanup_close_ int eisfd = oeffis_get_eis_fd(oeffis);
-			printf("We have an eisfd: lucky number %d\n", eisfd);
+			printf("# We have an eisfd: lucky number %d\n", eisfd);
 			/* Note: unless we get closed/disconnected, we are
 			 * started now, or will be once the compositor is
 			 * happy with it.
@@ -84,6 +103,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			 * cause the compositor or the portal to invalidate
 			 * our EIS fd.
 			 */
+			start_debug_events(eisfd);
 			break;
 		}
 		case OEFFIS_EVENT_DISCONNECTED: