diff --git a/src/cluster/Backend.cc b/src/cluster/Backend.cc
index 308dcdde5f..285cd22725 100644
--- a/src/cluster/Backend.cc
+++ b/src/cluster/Backend.cc
@@ -62,11 +62,8 @@ std::tuple<zeek::EventHandlerPtr, zeek::Args, zeek::detail::EventMetadataVectorP
 }
 
 bool detail::LocalEventHandlingStrategy::DoProcessEvent(std::string_view topic, detail::Event e) {
-    zeek::detail::EventMetadataVectorPtr meta;
-    if ( auto ts = e.Timestamp(); ts >= 0.0 )
-        meta = zeek::detail::MakeEventMetadataVector(e.Timestamp());
-
-    zeek::event_mgr.Enqueue(std::move(meta), e.Handler(), std::move(e.Args()), util::detail::SOURCE_BROKER);
+    auto [handler, args, meta] = std::move(e).Take();
+    zeek::event_mgr.Enqueue(std::move(meta), handler, std::move(args), util::detail::SOURCE_BROKER);
     return true;
 }