diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_MODULE b/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_MODULE
index 81074fd..5e479d9 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_MODULE
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_MODULE
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ ifdef T_A
 # use custom libevent2 install prefix by:
 #   setting LIBEVENT only for single arch build
 #   setting LIBEVENT_$(T_A) for each arch
+#   leave unset to use implicit system search path
 # NOTE: only needed if not present in default search paths
 LIBEVENT ?= $(LIBEVENT_$(T_A))
 
@@ -20,28 +21,18 @@ LIBEVENT_$(T_A) ?= $(wildcard $(abspath $(_PVXS)/../bundle/usr/$(T_A)))
 # apply to include search paths
 INCLUDES += $(if $(LIBEVENT),-I$(LIBEVENT)/include)
 
-ifeq (msvc,$(CMPLR_CLASS))
-# Select lib file directly
-LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS  = $(LIBEVENT)/lib/event_core
+LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS += event_core
+LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS_POSIX_YES = event_pthreads
+LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS_POSIX_$(POSIX))
 
-else
-# apply to library search paths, and -rpath
-_PVXS_DEPLIB_DIRS += $(if $(LIBEVENT),$(LIBEVENT)/lib)
-
-PROD_DEPLIB_DIRS   += $(_PVXS_DEPLIB_DIRS)
-SHRLIB_DEPLIB_DIRS += $(_PVXS_DEPLIB_DIRS)
-
-LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS  = event_core
-
-endif
-
-# automatically add necessary libraries
-LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS_POSIX_YES = event_pthreads
 LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS_WIN32 = iphlpapi netapi32 ws2_32
-
-LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS_POSIX_$(POSIX))
 LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS_$(OS_CLASS))
 
+event_core_DIR = $(LIBEVENT)/lib
+event_pthreads_DIR = $(LIBEVENT)/lib
+
 endif # T_A
 
 endif # _PVXS_CONF_INCLUDED
+
+# logic continues in RULES_PVXS_MODULE
diff --git a/configure/RULES_PVXS_MODULE b/configure/RULES_PVXS_MODULE
index 05074e7..87154f9 100644
--- a/configure/RULES_PVXS_MODULE
+++ b/configure/RULES_PVXS_MODULE
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 
+# logic continues from CONFIG_PVXS_MODULE
+
 # we're appending so must be idempotent
 ifeq (,$(_PVXS_RULE_INCLUDED))
 _PVXS_RULE_INCLUDED := YES
@@ -9,11 +11,24 @@ endif
 
 _PVXS_CHECK_VARS := PROD TESTPROD $(PROD) $(TESTPROD) $(LIBRARY)
 
+ifeq (,$(LIBEVENT))
+
 # $(1) is PROD or LIBRARY name
 define _PVXS_ADD_LIBEVENT
-$(1)_SYS_LIBS += $$(if $$(findstring pvxs,$$($(1)_LIBS)),$$(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS))
+$(1)_SYS_LIBS := $$($(1)_SYS_LIBS) $$(if $$(filter pvxs,$$($(1)_LIBS)),$$(LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS))
+$(1)_SYS_LIBS := $$($(1)_SYS_LIBS) $$(if $$(filter pvxs,$$($(1)_LIBS)),$$(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS))
 endef
 
+else
+
+# $(1) is PROD or LIBRARY name
+define _PVXS_ADD_LIBEVENT
+$(1)_LIBS     := $$($(1)_LIBS)     $$(if $$(filter pvxs,$$($(1)_LIBS)),$$(LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS))
+$(1)_SYS_LIBS := $$($(1)_SYS_LIBS) $$(if $$(filter pvxs,$$($(1)_LIBS)),$$(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS))
+endef
+
+endif
+
 $(foreach loc,$(_PVXS_CHECK_VARS),$(eval $(call _PVXS_ADD_LIBEVENT,$(loc))))
 
 endif # _PVXS_RULE_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 0f2152c..a48baf8 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -95,6 +95,14 @@ LIB_SRCS += clientget.cpp
 LIB_SRCS += clientmon.cpp
 
 LIB_LIBS += Com
+
+# special case matching configure/RULES_PVXS_MODULE
+ifeq (,$(LIBEVENT))
+LIB_SYS_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS)
+else
+LIB_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_BUNDLE_LIBS)
+endif
+
 LIB_SYS_LIBS += $(LIBEVENT_SYS_LIBS)
 
 #===========================