diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 239f9693..5fb0a23c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -524,6 +524,17 @@ then
 	AC_CHECK_LIB([idn], [idna_to_ascii_8z], [], [found_all_libs=0])
 fi
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(unbound-event-api, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-unbound-event-api], [Disable usage of libunbounds event API]))
+case "$enable_unbound_event_api" in
+	no)
+		my_enable_unbound_event_api=0
+		;;
+	yes|*)
+		my_enable_unbound_event_api=1
+		;;
+esac
+
+
 if test $my_with_libunbound = 1
 then
 	AC_CHECK_HEADERS([unbound-event.h],,, [AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT])
@@ -531,9 +542,13 @@ then
 	AC_CHECK_LIB([unbound], [ub_fd], [
 		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_LIBUNBOUND], [1], [Define to 1 if you have the `unbound' library (-lunbound).]) dnl `
 		LIBS="-lunbound $LIBS"
-		AC_CHECK_FUNC([ub_ctx_create_ub_event], [
-			AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_UNBOUND_EVENT_API], [1], [Define this when libunbound is compiled with the --enable-event-api option.])
-		])
+
+		if test $my_enable_unbound_event_api = 1
+		then
+			AC_CHECK_FUNC([ub_ctx_create_ub_event], [
+				AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_UNBOUND_EVENT_API], [1], [Define this when libunbound is compiled with the --enable-event-api option.])
+			])
+		fi
 		AC_CHECK_FUNCS([ub_ctx_set_stub])
 	], [found_all_libs=0])
 fi