diff --git a/have.h b/have.h
index 682fd2b7..92914ea0 100644
--- a/have.h
+++ b/have.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #else
 #define WINVER WindowsXP
 #endif
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
 #include <w32api.h>
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <ws2tcpip.h>
@@ -179,4 +180,8 @@
 #include <netinet/if_ether.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_EVENT_H
+#include <event.h>
+#endif
+
 #endif /* __TINC_SYSTEM_H__ */
diff --git a/m4/libevent.m4 b/m4/libevent.m4
index 9bc9ae15..34bdef70 100644
--- a/m4/libevent.m4
+++ b/m4/libevent.m4
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([tinc_LIBEVENT],
   )
 
   AC_CHECK_LIB(event, event_init,
-    [LIBS="$LIBS -levent"],
+    [LIBS="-levent $LIBS"],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR("libevent libraries not found.")]
   )
 ])
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index f50b2bec..634e9e75 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 #ifndef __TINC_NET_H__
 #define __TINC_NET_H__
 
-#include <event.h>
-
 #include "ipv6.h"
 #include "cipher.h"
 #include "digest.h"
diff --git a/src/node.h b/src/node.h
index 1e08c7ec..02e16c6c 100644
--- a/src/node.h
+++ b/src/node.h
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 #ifndef __TINC_NODE_H__
 #define __TINC_NODE_H__
 
-#include <event.h>
-
 #include "splay_tree.h"
 #include "cipher.h"
 #include "connection.h"