diff --git a/src/Event.cc b/src/Event.cc
index 1a91b1aaa0..d5f23bc16b 100644
--- a/src/Event.cc
+++ b/src/Event.cc
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 #include "zeek/Desc.h"
 #include "zeek/Trigger.h"
-#include "zeek/Val.h"
 #include "zeek/iosource/Manager.h"
 #include "zeek/plugin/Manager.h"
 
@@ -16,7 +15,8 @@ namespace zeek {
 
 Event::Event(const EventHandlerPtr& arg_handler, zeek::Args arg_args, util::detail::SourceID arg_src,
              analyzer::ID arg_aid, Obj* arg_obj, double arg_ts)
-    : handler(arg_handler),
+    : ref_cnt(1),
+      handler(arg_handler),
       args(std::move(arg_args)),
       src(arg_src),
       aid(arg_aid),
@@ -27,20 +27,6 @@ Event::Event(const EventHandlerPtr& arg_handler, zeek::Args arg_args, util::deta
         Ref(obj);
 }
 
-void Event::Describe(ODesc* d) const {
-    if ( d->IsReadable() )
-        d->AddSP("event");
-
-    bool s = d->IsShort();
-    d->SetShort(s);
-
-    if ( ! d->IsBinary() )
-        d->Add("(");
-    describe_vals(args, d);
-    if ( ! d->IsBinary() )
-        d->Add("(");
-}
-
 void Event::Dispatch(bool no_remote) {
     if ( src == util::detail::SOURCE_BROKER )
         no_remote = true;
diff --git a/src/Event.h b/src/Event.h
index 3aac8c3876..de071b3e16 100644
--- a/src/Event.h
+++ b/src/Event.h
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ extern double network_time;
 } // namespace run_state
 
 class EventMgr;
+class Event;
 
-class Event final : public Obj {
+class Event final {
 public:
     Event(const EventHandlerPtr& handler, zeek::Args args, util::detail::SourceID src = util::detail::SOURCE_LOCAL,
           analyzer::ID aid = 0, Obj* obj = nullptr, double ts = run_state::network_time);
@@ -32,15 +33,16 @@ public:
     const zeek::Args& Args() const { return args; }
     double Time() const { return ts; }
 
-    void Describe(ODesc* d) const override;
-
 private:
     friend class EventMgr;
+    friend void inline Ref(Event*);
+    friend inline void Unref(Event*);
 
     // This method is protected to make sure that everybody goes through
     // EventMgr::Dispatch().
     void Dispatch(bool no_remote = false);
 
+    int ref_cnt;
     EventHandlerPtr handler;
     zeek::Args args;
     util::detail::SourceID src;
@@ -50,6 +52,13 @@ private:
     Event* next_event;
 };
 
+inline void Unref(Event* e) {
+    if ( e && --e->ref_cnt <= 0 )
+        delete e;
+}
+
+inline void Ref(Event* e) { ++(e->ref_cnt); }
+
 class EventMgr final : public iosource::IOSource {
 public:
     ~EventMgr() override;