diff --git a/src/liblwevent/350_fdparams.c b/src/liblwevent/350_fdparams.c
index 1e3fca1..5baa73c 100644
--- a/src/liblwevent/350_fdparams.c
+++ b/src/liblwevent/350_fdparams.c
@@ -44,19 +44,29 @@ int lwevent_get_autodestroy(const struct lwevent* ev)
 
 /* lwevent_set_events()
  *  Calls epoll_ctl(EPOLL_CTL_MOD) to change the events associated with the object `ev'. Does not
- *  perform the call if the new events match the current events. If `old_events' is not null, stores
- *  the existing events before changing. Returns -1 if epoll_ctl fails.
+ *  perform the call if the new events match the current events. Returns -1 if epoll_ctl fails.
  */
 int lwevent_set_events(struct lwevent* ev, int events)
 {
-    if(events == ev->events) return 0; /* don't call epoll_ctl() if no change */
-    return _lwevent_activate(EPOLL_CTL_MOD, ev);
+    struct epoll_event ee;
+
+    /* don't call epoll_ctl() if no change */
+    if(events == ev->events) return 0;
+
+    /* try the modification */
+    ee.events = events;
+    ee.data.ptr = ev;
+    if(TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY( epoll_ctl(lwevent_epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_MOD, ev->fd, &ee) )) return -1;
+
+    /* update structure only if it succeeded */
+    ev->events = events;
+    return 0;
 }
-    
+
 
 
 /* lwevent_set_*()
- *  Changes attributes associated with `ev', possibly storing the old value.
+ *  Changes attributes associated with `ev'.
  */
 void lwevent_set_callback(struct lwevent* ev, lwevent_callback callback)
 {