diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 584f8ca..e5b6866 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,12 +26,16 @@ find_package(DataPipes REQUIRED)
 include_directories(${DataPipes_INCLUDE_DIR})
 
 # LibEvent fucks up the CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES variable
-function(find_event)
-    set(LIBEVENT_STATIC_LINK TRUE)
-    find_package(Libevent REQUIRED)
-    include_directories(${LIBEVENT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-endfunction()
-find_event()
+if (NOT find_event AND FALSE)
+    function(find_event static)
+        if(static)
+            set(LIBEVENT_STATIC_LINK TRUE)
+        endif()
+        find_package(Libevent REQUIRED)
+        include_directories(${LIBEVENT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    endfunction()
+endif ()
+find_event(ON)
 
 find_package(StringVariable REQUIRED)
 include_directories(${StringVariable_INCLUDE_DIR})