diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index c5f88096..29dfbfaa 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -2725,6 +2725,7 @@ evthread_make_base_notifiable(struct event_base *base)
 
 	/* we need to mark this as internal event */
 	base->th_notify.ev_flags |= EVLIST_INTERNAL;
+	event_priority_set(&base->th_notify, 0);
 
 	return event_add(&base->th_notify, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/signal.c b/signal.c
index 9a5c868f..f840e259 100644
--- a/signal.c
+++ b/signal.c
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ evsig_init(struct event_base *base)
 		EV_READ | EV_PERSIST, evsig_cb, base);
 
 	base->sig.ev_signal.ev_flags |= EVLIST_INTERNAL;
+	event_priority_set(&base->sig.ev_signal, 0);
 
 	base->evsigsel = &evsigops;