diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d2c28c9..9131343 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ src_libei = [
     'src/libei.h',
     'src/libei.c',
     'src/libei-device.c',
+    'src/libei-event.c',
     'src/libei-log.c',
     'src/libei-seat.c',
     'src/libei-socket.c',
diff --git a/src/libei-event.c b/src/libei-event.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a970b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libei-event.c
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2021 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+ * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
+ * to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+ * the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+ * and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+ * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice (including the next
+ * paragraph) shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the
+ * Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
+ * THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+ * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+ * DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "libei-private.h"
+
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_REF(ei_event);
+_public_
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_UNREF(ei_event);
+_public_
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, type, enum ei_event_type);
+_public_
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, device, struct ei_device*);
+_public_
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, seat, struct ei_seat*);
+
+const char *
+ei_event_type_to_string(enum ei_event_type type)
+{
+	switch(type) {
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_CONNECT);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DISCONNECT);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_SEAT_ADDED);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_SEAT_REMOVED);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_PAUSED);
+	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_RESUMED);
+	}
+
+	assert(!"Unhandled event type");
+}
+
+static void
+ei_event_destroy(struct ei_event *event)
+{
+	switch (event->type) {
+	case EI_EVENT_CONNECT:
+	case EI_EVENT_DISCONNECT:
+	case EI_EVENT_SEAT_ADDED:
+	case EI_EVENT_SEAT_REMOVED:
+	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED:
+	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED:
+	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_PAUSED:
+	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_RESUMED:
+		break;
+	}
+	ei_device_unref(event->device);
+	ei_seat_unref(event->seat);
+}
+
+static
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_CREATE(ei_event);
+static
+OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_PARENT(ei_event, ei);
+
+struct ei_event *
+ei_event_new(struct ei *ei)
+{
+	return ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+}
+
+static struct ei *
+ei_event_get_context(struct ei_event *event)
+{
+	return ei_event_parent(event);
+}
+
+static inline bool
+check_event_type(struct ei_event *event,
+		 const char *function_name,
+		 ...)
+{
+	bool rc = false;
+	va_list args;
+	unsigned int type_permitted;
+	enum ei_event_type type = ei_event_get_type(event);
+
+	va_start(args, function_name);
+	type_permitted = va_arg(args, unsigned int);
+
+	while (type_permitted != (unsigned int)-1) {
+		if (type_permitted == type) {
+			rc = true;
+			break;
+		}
+		type_permitted = va_arg(args, unsigned int);
+	}
+
+	va_end(args);
+
+	if (!rc)
+		log_bug_client(ei_event_get_context(event),
+			       "Invalid event type %d passed to %s()\n",
+			       type, function_name);
+
+	return rc;
+}
+#define require_event_type(event_, retval_, ...)	\
+	if (!check_event_type(event_, __func__, __VA_ARGS__, -1)) \
+		return retval_; \
+
diff --git a/src/libei-private.h b/src/libei-private.h
index 3c94ba0..63131aa 100644
--- a/src/libei-private.h
+++ b/src/libei-private.h
@@ -154,13 +154,22 @@ struct ei_touch {
 };
 
 struct ei_event {
-	struct object object;
+	struct object object; /* Parent is struct ei */
 	enum ei_event_type type;
 	struct list link;
 	struct ei_seat *seat; /* NULL if device is non-NULL */
 	struct ei_device *device;
 };
 
+struct ei_event *
+ei_event_new(struct ei *ei);
+
+struct ei_event *
+ei_event_ref(struct ei_event *event);
+
+const char *
+ei_event_type_to_string(enum ei_event_type type);
+
 int
 ei_set_connection(struct ei *ei, int fd);
 
diff --git a/src/libei.c b/src/libei.c
index 2e64d8f..ac70e68 100644
--- a/src/libei.c
+++ b/src/libei.c
@@ -39,57 +39,6 @@
 #include "libei-proto.h"
 #include "brei-shared.h"
 
-static const char *
-ei_event_type_to_string(enum ei_event_type type)
-{
-	switch(type) {
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_CONNECT);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DISCONNECT);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_SEAT_ADDED);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_SEAT_REMOVED);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_PAUSED);
-	CASE_RETURN_STRING(EI_EVENT_DEVICE_RESUMED);
-	}
-
-	assert(!"Unhandled event type");
-}
-
-static void
-ei_event_destroy(struct ei_event *event)
-{
-	switch (event->type) {
-	case EI_EVENT_CONNECT:
-	case EI_EVENT_DISCONNECT:
-	case EI_EVENT_SEAT_ADDED:
-	case EI_EVENT_SEAT_REMOVED:
-	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED:
-	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED:
-	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_PAUSED:
-	case EI_EVENT_DEVICE_RESUMED:
-		break;
-	default:
-		assert(!"destroy not implemented for this type");
-	}
-	ei_device_unref(event->device);
-	ei_seat_unref(event->seat);
-}
-
-static
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_CREATE(ei_event);
-static
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_REF(ei_event);
-_public_
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_UNREF(ei_event);
-_public_
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, type, enum ei_event_type);
-_public_
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, device, struct ei_device*);
-_public_
-OBJECT_IMPLEMENT_GETTER(ei_event, seat, struct ei_seat*);
-
-
 static struct ei_seat *
 ei_find_seat(struct ei *ei, uint32_t seatid)
 {
@@ -203,7 +152,7 @@ insert_event(struct ei *ei, struct ei_event *event)
 static void
 queue_connect_event(struct ei *ei)
 {
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_CONNECT;
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
@@ -212,7 +161,7 @@ queue_connect_event(struct ei *ei)
 static void
 queue_disconnect_event(struct ei *ei)
 {
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DISCONNECT;
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
@@ -223,7 +172,7 @@ queue_seat_added_event(struct ei_seat *seat)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_seat_get_context(seat);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_SEAT_ADDED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(seat);
 
@@ -235,7 +184,7 @@ queue_seat_removed_event(struct ei_seat *seat)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_seat_get_context(seat);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_SEAT_REMOVED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(seat);
 
@@ -253,7 +202,7 @@ queue_device_added_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DEVICE_ADDED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
 	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
@@ -266,7 +215,7 @@ queue_device_removed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
 	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
@@ -279,7 +228,7 @@ insert_device_removed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DEVICE_REMOVED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
 	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
@@ -292,7 +241,7 @@ queue_paused_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DEVICE_PAUSED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
 	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
@@ -305,7 +254,7 @@ queue_resumed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_create(&ei->object);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_DEVICE_RESUMED;
 	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
 	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
diff --git a/src/util-object.h b/src/util-object.h
index 336368a..890388d 100644
--- a/src/util-object.h
+++ b/src/util-object.h
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ object_unref(struct object *object)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-
 /**
  * For a type of "foo", generate
  *    struct foo *foo_ref(struct foo *f);