diff --git a/src/conf/domain_event.c b/src/conf/domain_event.c
index 900d8f745e..33fbf10406 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_event.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_event.c
@@ -1934,24 +1934,12 @@ virDomainQemuMonitorEventNew(int id,
                                  0, id, name, uuid, uuidstr)))
         return NULL;
 
-    /* event is mandatory, details are optional */
-    if (!event) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                       _("unexpected event=NULL name=%s uuid=%s details=%s"),
-                       name, uuidstr, NULLSTR(details));
-        goto error;
-    }
-
     ev->event = g_strdup(event);
     ev->seconds = seconds;
     ev->micros = micros;
     ev->details = g_strdup(details);
 
     return (virObjectEventPtr)ev;
-
- error:
-    virObjectUnref(ev);
-    return NULL;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_event.h b/src/conf/domain_event.h
index 0a4bce3d04..d1cfb81d62 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_event.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_event.h
@@ -321,4 +321,4 @@ virDomainQemuMonitorEventNew(int id,
                              long long seconds,
                              unsigned int micros,
                              const char *details)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(3);
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(3) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(4);