diff --git a/config/ompi_configure_options.m4 b/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
index 0d7cc9b4d5..b11bb5e784 100644
--- a/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
@@ -318,25 +318,5 @@ AC_SUBST(OMPI_F77_WIN_ATTR_DISP_VALUE)
 AC_SUBST(OMPI_F77_WIN_NULL_COPY_FN)
 AC_SUBST(OMPI_F77_WIN_NULL_DELETE_FN)
 AC_SUBST(OMPI_F77_WIN_DUP_FN)
-
-#
-# Do we want event signal handlers
-# BWB - this needs to be removed before release - XXX
-#
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([if want event library signal handling])
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(event-signals,
-    AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-event-signals],
-                   [Do we want to use the event library signal handlers (default: enabled)]))
-if test "$enable_event_signals" != "no"; then
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-    use_event_signals=1
-else
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-    use_event_signals=0
-fi
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS, $use_event_signals,
-    [Do we want to use the event library signal handlers])
-
-
 #
 ])
diff --git a/src/event/event.h b/src/event/event.h
index 195e2527f3..820fbb7e4b 100644
--- a/src/event/event.h
+++ b/src/event/event.h
@@ -64,11 +64,10 @@ extern "C" {
 #define OMPI_EV_SIGNAL	0x08
 #define OMPI_EV_PERSIST	0x10	/* Persistant event */
 
-#if 0
-#ifndef OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS
-#define OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS 0
-#endif
+#ifdef OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS
+#undef OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS
 #endif
+#define OMPI_EVENT_USE_SIGNALS 1
 
 /* Fix so that ppl dont have to run with <sys/queue.h> */
 #ifndef TAILQ_ENTRY