diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index e53fc9c7..0a4e2306 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -139,11 +139,8 @@ server_start(char *path)
 		fatal("daemon failed");
 
 	/* event_init() was called in our parent, need to reinit. */
-	if (setenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE", "1", 1) != 0)
-		fatal("setenv");
 	if (event_reinit(ev_base) != 0)
 		fatal("event_reinit failed");
-	unsetenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE");
 	clear_signals();
 
 	logfile("server");
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index 6edaf8f5..e42e48d3 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -532,10 +532,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
-	if (setenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE", "1", 1) != 0)
-		fatal("setenv");
 	ev_base = event_init();
-	unsetenv("EVENT_NOKQUEUE");
 	set_signals(main_signal);
 
 	/* Initialise the client socket/start the server. */