diff --git a/examples/events.cpp b/examples/events.cpp
index 549dfeb..4c39951 100644
--- a/examples/events.cpp
+++ b/examples/events.cpp
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ int  main() {
 		}
 	});
 
-	// Don't forget this:
-	conn.prepare_to_event_handling();
-
 	while (true) {
 		conn.handle_event();
 	}
diff --git a/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp b/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
index b4c82f9..8b38a25 100644
--- a/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
+++ b/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
@@ -258,12 +258,6 @@ public:
 	 */
 	bool  subscribe(const int32_t  events);
 
-	/**
-	 * Prepare connection to the handling of i3's events
-	 * @note Used only in main()
-	 */
-	void  prepare_to_event_handling();
-
 	/**
 	 * Handle an event from i3
 	 * @note Used only in main()
@@ -294,6 +288,8 @@ public:
 	sigc::signal<void>  signal_barconfig_update_event; ///< Barconfig update event signal
 	sigc::signal<void, const binding_t&>  signal_binding_event; ///< Binding event signal
 	sigc::signal<void, EventType, const std::shared_ptr<const buf_t>&>  signal_event; ///< i3 event signal @note Default handler routes event to signal according to type
+protected:
+	void  prepare_to_event_handling();
 private:
 	const int32_t  m_main_socket;
 	int32_t  m_event_socket;
diff --git a/src/ipc.cpp b/src/ipc.cpp
index a1c3f72..23a7ad6 100644
--- a/src/ipc.cpp
+++ b/src/ipc.cpp
@@ -329,9 +329,10 @@ void  connection::prepare_to_event_handling() {
 	m_event_socket = i3_connect(m_socket_path);
 	this->subscribe(m_subscriptions);
 }
+
 void  connection::handle_event() {
 	if (m_event_socket <= 0) {
-		throw std::runtime_error("event_socket_fd <= 0");
+		this->prepare_to_event_handling();
 	}
 	auto  buf = i3_recv(m_event_socket);