diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index f5c5aa7c..bcc081cf 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -671,7 +671,8 @@ event_base_new_with_config(const struct event_config *cfg)
 	/* prepare for threading */
 
 #ifndef _EVENT_DISABLE_THREAD_SUPPORT
-	if (!cfg || !(cfg->flags & EVENT_BASE_FLAG_NOLOCK)) {
+	if (EVTHREAD_LOCKING_ENABLED() &&
+	    (!cfg || !(cfg->flags & EVENT_BASE_FLAG_NOLOCK))) {
 		int r;
 		EVTHREAD_ALLOC_LOCK(base->th_base_lock,
 		    EVTHREAD_LOCKTYPE_RECURSIVE);
@@ -679,6 +680,7 @@ event_base_new_with_config(const struct event_config *cfg)
 		EVTHREAD_ALLOC_COND(base->current_event_cond);
 		r = evthread_make_base_notifiable(base);
 		if (r<0) {
+			event_warnx("%s: Unable to make base notifiable.", __func__);
 			event_base_free(base);
 			return NULL;
 		}
diff --git a/evthread-internal.h b/evthread-internal.h
index 2782bbe5..dbadd3d0 100644
--- a/evthread-internal.h
+++ b/evthread-internal.h
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ EVLOCK_TRY_LOCK(void *lock)
 #define EVTHREAD_COND_WAIT_TIMED(cond, lock, tv)			\
 	( (cond) ? _evthread_cond_fns.wait_condition((cond), (lock), (tv)) : 0 )
 
+/** True iff locking functions have been configured. */
+#define EVTHREAD_LOCKING_ENABLED()		\
+	(_evthread_lock_fns.lock != NULL)
+
 #elif ! defined(_EVENT_DISABLE_THREAD_SUPPORT)
 
 unsigned long _evthreadimpl_get_id(void);
@@ -187,6 +191,7 @@ void *_evthreadimpl_cond_alloc(unsigned condtype);
 void _evthreadimpl_cond_free(void *cond);
 int _evthreadimpl_cond_signal(void *cond, int broadcast);
 int _evthreadimpl_cond_wait(void *cond, void *lock, const struct timeval *tv);
+int _evthreadimpl_locking_enabled(void);
 
 #define EVTHREAD_GET_ID() _evthreadimpl_get_id()
 #define EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base)				\
@@ -283,6 +288,9 @@ EVLOCK_TRY_LOCK(void *lock)
 #define EVTHREAD_COND_WAIT_TIMED(cond, lock, tv)			\
 	( (cond) ? _evthreadimpl_cond_wait((cond), (lock), (tv)) : 0 )
 
+#define EVTHREAD_LOCKING_ENABLED()		\
+	(_evthreadimpl_locking_enabled())
+
 #else /* _EVENT_DISABLE_THREAD_SUPPORT */
 
 #define EVTHREAD_GET_ID()	1
@@ -309,6 +317,8 @@ EVLOCK_TRY_LOCK(void *lock)
 #define EVTHREAD_COND_WAIT(cond, lock) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT
 #define EVTHREAD_COND_WAIT_TIMED(cond, lock, howlong) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT
 
+#define EVTHREAD_LOCKING_ENABLED() 0
+
 #endif
 
 /* This code is shared between both lock impls */
diff --git a/evthread.c b/evthread.c
index eb6fc57c..13584175 100644
--- a/evthread.c
+++ b/evthread.c
@@ -437,6 +437,12 @@ _evthreadimpl_is_lock_debugging_enabled(void)
 {
 	return _evthread_lock_debugging_enabled;
 }
+
+int
+_evthreadimpl_locking_enabled(void)
+{
+	return _evthread_lock_fns.lock != NULL;
+}
 #endif
 
 #endif