diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
index a5f3e854b1..be78a36719 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
@@ -240,8 +240,14 @@ struct sd_event {
         unsigned delays[sizeof(usec_t) * 8];
 };
 
+static thread_local sd_event *default_event = NULL;
+
 static void source_disconnect(sd_event_source *s);
 
+static sd_event *event_resolve(sd_event *e) {
+        return e == SD_EVENT_DEFAULT ? default_event : e;
+}
+
 static int pending_prioq_compare(const void *a, const void *b) {
         const sd_event_source *x = a, *y = b;
 
@@ -967,6 +973,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_io(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(fd >= 0, -EBADF);
         assert_return(!(events & ~(EPOLLIN|EPOLLOUT|EPOLLRDHUP|EPOLLPRI|EPOLLERR|EPOLLHUP|EPOLLET)), -EINVAL);
         assert_return(callback, -EINVAL);
@@ -1067,6 +1074,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_time(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(accuracy != (uint64_t) -1, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
@@ -1148,6 +1156,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_signal(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(SIGNAL_VALID(sig), -EINVAL);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
@@ -1207,6 +1216,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_child(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(pid > 1, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(!(options & ~(WEXITED|WSTOPPED|WCONTINUED)), -EINVAL);
         assert_return(options != 0, -EINVAL);
@@ -1264,6 +1274,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_defer(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(callback, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
@@ -1298,6 +1309,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_post(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(callback, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
@@ -1336,6 +1348,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_exit(
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(callback, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
@@ -2449,6 +2462,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_prepare(sd_event *e) {
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(e->state == SD_EVENT_INITIAL, -EBUSY);
@@ -2506,6 +2520,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_wait(sd_event *e, uint64_t timeout) {
         int r, m, i;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(e->state == SD_EVENT_ARMED, -EBUSY);
@@ -2612,6 +2627,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_dispatch(sd_event *e) {
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(e->state == SD_EVENT_PENDING, -EBUSY);
@@ -2653,6 +2669,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_run(sd_event *e, uint64_t timeout) {
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(e->state == SD_EVENT_INITIAL, -EBUSY);
@@ -2697,6 +2714,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_loop(sd_event *e) {
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
         assert_return(e->state == SD_EVENT_INITIAL, -EBUSY);
 
@@ -2718,6 +2736,7 @@ finish:
 _public_ int sd_event_get_fd(sd_event *e) {
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
         return e->epoll_fd;
@@ -2725,6 +2744,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_get_fd(sd_event *e) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_get_state(sd_event *e) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
         return e->state;
@@ -2732,6 +2752,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_get_state(sd_event *e) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_get_exit_code(sd_event *e, int *code) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(code, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
@@ -2744,6 +2765,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_get_exit_code(sd_event *e, int *code) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_exit(sd_event *e, int code) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(e->state != SD_EVENT_FINISHED, -ESTALE);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
@@ -2755,6 +2777,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_exit(sd_event *e, int code) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_now(sd_event *e, clockid_t clock, uint64_t *usec) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(usec, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
@@ -2779,8 +2802,6 @@ _public_ int sd_event_now(sd_event *e, clockid_t clock, uint64_t *usec) {
 }
 
 _public_ int sd_event_default(sd_event **ret) {
-
-        static thread_local sd_event *default_event = NULL;
         sd_event *e = NULL;
         int r;
 
@@ -2806,6 +2827,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_default(sd_event **ret) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_get_tid(sd_event *e, pid_t *tid) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(tid, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
@@ -2821,6 +2843,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_set_watchdog(sd_event *e, int b) {
         int r;
 
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
         if (e->watchdog == !!b)
@@ -2871,6 +2894,7 @@ fail:
 
 _public_ int sd_event_get_watchdog(sd_event *e) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
         return e->watchdog;
@@ -2878,6 +2902,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_get_watchdog(sd_event *e) {
 
 _public_ int sd_event_get_iteration(sd_event *e, uint64_t *ret) {
         assert_return(e, -EINVAL);
+        assert_return(e = event_resolve(e), -ENOPKG);
         assert_return(!event_pid_changed(e), -ECHILD);
 
         *ret = e->iteration;
diff --git a/src/systemd/sd-event.h b/src/systemd/sd-event.h
index 9083d5fa9e..57c1692fc1 100644
--- a/src/systemd/sd-event.h
+++ b/src/systemd/sd-event.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 
 _SD_BEGIN_DECLARATIONS;
 
+#define SD_EVENT_DEFAULT ((sd_event *) 1)
+
 typedef struct sd_event sd_event;
 typedef struct sd_event_source sd_event_source;