diff --git a/src/PikaObj.c b/src/PikaObj.c
index 4bfa00b96..729760210 100644
--- a/src/PikaObj.c
+++ b/src/PikaObj.c
@@ -1944,6 +1944,7 @@ void _do_pks_eventListener_send(PikaEventListener* self,
             _VMEvent_pickupEvent();
         }
     }
+#if PIKA_EVENT_THREAD_ENABLE
     if (PikaVMSignal.event_thread_inited) {
         return;
     }
@@ -1956,6 +1957,7 @@ void _do_pks_eventListener_send(PikaEventListener* self,
         PikaVMSignal.event_thread_inited = 1;
     }
 #endif
+#endif
 }
 
 void pks_eventListener_send(PikaEventListener* self,
diff --git a/src/pika_config_valid.h b/src/pika_config_valid.h
index 1c4f7284b..6a9bdeb27 100644
--- a/src/pika_config_valid.h
+++ b/src/pika_config_valid.h
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@
         #ifdef PIKA_TYPE_FULL_FEATURE_ENABLE
             #define PIKA_TYPE_FULL_FEATURE_ENABLE 0
         #endif
+
+        #ifndef PIKA_EVENT_THREAD_ENABLE
+            #define PIKA_EVENT_THREAD_ENABLE 0
+        #endif
+
     #endif
 
     /* default optimize */
@@ -418,6 +423,10 @@
         #define PIKA_TYPE_FULL_FEATURE_ENABLE 1
     #endif
 
+    #ifndef PIKA_EVENT_THREAD_ENABLE
+        #define PIKA_EVENT_THREAD_ENABLE 1
+    #endif
+
     /* configuration validation */
 
 #endif