diff --git a/src/libei-event.c b/src/libei-event.c
index 4cbaa28..d06e258 100644
--- a/src/libei-event.c
+++ b/src/libei-event.c
@@ -88,6 +88,17 @@ ei_event_new(struct ei *ei)
 	return ei_event_create(&ei->object);
 }
 
+struct ei_event *
+ei_event_new_for_device(struct ei_device *device)
+{
+	struct ei_event *event = ei_event_new(ei_device_get_context(device));
+
+	event->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
+	event->device = ei_device_ref(device);
+
+	return event;
+}
+
 static struct ei *
 ei_event_get_context(struct ei_event *event)
 {
diff --git a/src/libei-private.h b/src/libei-private.h
index d3b5188..ec6c89c 100644
--- a/src/libei-private.h
+++ b/src/libei-private.h
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ ei_property_update(struct ei *ei, const char *name,
 struct ei_event *
 ei_event_new(struct ei *ei);
 
+struct ei_event *
+ei_event_new_for_device(struct ei_device *device);
+
 struct ei_event *
 ei_event_ref(struct ei_event *event);
 
diff --git a/src/libei.c b/src/libei.c
index 2543b07..a034ff0 100644
--- a/src/libei.c
+++ b/src/libei.c
@@ -252,11 +252,9 @@ static void
 queue_device_added_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	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);
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
 }
@@ -265,11 +263,9 @@ static void
 queue_device_removed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	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);
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
 }
@@ -278,11 +274,9 @@ static void
 insert_device_removed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	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);
 
 	insert_event(ei, e);
 }
@@ -291,11 +285,9 @@ static void
 queue_paused_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	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);
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
 }
@@ -304,11 +296,9 @@ static void
 queue_resumed_event(struct ei_device *device)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	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);
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);
 }
@@ -318,11 +308,9 @@ queue_keyboard_modifiers_event(struct ei_device *device,
 			       const struct ei_xkb_modifiers *mods)
 {
 	struct ei *ei= ei_device_get_context(device);
+	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new_for_device(device);
 
-	struct ei_event *e = ei_event_new(ei);
 	e->type = EI_EVENT_KEYBOARD_MODIFIERS;
-	e->seat = ei_seat_ref(ei_device_get_seat(device));
-	e->device = ei_device_ref(device);
 	e->modifiers = *mods;
 
 	queue_event(ei, e);