diff --git a/src/pty.c b/src/pty.c
index 744fe81..fffe153 100644
--- a/src/pty.c
+++ b/src/pty.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <termios.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "eloop.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "pty.h"
 
@@ -54,8 +55,8 @@ struct kmscon_pty {
 	void *closed_data;
 };
 
-int kmscon_pty_new(struct kmscon_pty **out, kmscon_pty_input_cb input_cb,
-								void *data)
+int kmscon_pty_new(struct kmscon_pty **out, struct kmscon_eloop *loop,
+				kmscon_pty_input_cb input_cb, void *data)
 {
 	struct kmscon_pty *pty;
 
@@ -71,9 +72,11 @@ int kmscon_pty_new(struct kmscon_pty **out, kmscon_pty_input_cb input_cb,
 	memset(pty, 0, sizeof(*pty));
 	pty->fd = -1;
 	pty->ref = 1;
+	pty->eloop = loop;
 	pty->input_cb = input_cb;
 	pty->data = data;
 
+	kmscon_eloop_ref(pty->eloop);
 	*out = pty;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ void kmscon_pty_unref(struct kmscon_pty *pty)
 		return;
 
 	kmscon_pty_close(pty);
+	kmscon_eloop_unref(pty->eloop);
 	free(pty);
 	log_debug("pty: destroying pty object\n");
 }
@@ -290,38 +294,12 @@ static void pty_input(struct kmscon_fd *fd, int mask, void *data)
 		pty->input_cb(pty, u8, len, pty->data);
 }
 
-static int connect_eloop(struct kmscon_pty *pty, struct kmscon_eloop *eloop)
+int kmscon_pty_open(struct kmscon_pty *pty, unsigned short width,
+	unsigned short height, kmscon_pty_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	if (pty->eloop)
-		return -EALREADY;
-
-	ret = kmscon_eloop_new_fd(eloop, &pty->efd, pty->fd,
-					KMSCON_READABLE, pty_input, pty);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
-	kmscon_eloop_ref(eloop);
-	pty->eloop = eloop;
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static void disconnect_eloop(struct kmscon_pty *pty)
-{
-	kmscon_eloop_rm_fd(pty->efd);
-	kmscon_eloop_unref(pty->eloop);
-	pty->efd = NULL;
-	pty->eloop = NULL;
-}
-
-int kmscon_pty_open(struct kmscon_pty *pty, struct kmscon_eloop *eloop,
-				unsigned short width, unsigned short height,
-				kmscon_pty_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data)
-{
-	int ret;
-
-	if (!pty || !eloop)
+	if (!pty)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (pty->fd >= 0)
@@ -331,11 +309,8 @@ int kmscon_pty_open(struct kmscon_pty *pty, struct kmscon_eloop *eloop,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	ret = connect_eloop(pty, eloop);
-	if (ret == -EALREADY) {
-		disconnect_eloop(pty);
-		ret = connect_eloop(pty, eloop);
-	}
+	ret = kmscon_eloop_new_fd(pty->eloop, &pty->efd, pty->fd,
+					KMSCON_READABLE, pty_input, pty);
 	if (ret) {
 		close(pty->fd);
 		pty->fd = -1;
@@ -355,7 +330,8 @@ void kmscon_pty_close(struct kmscon_pty *pty)
 	if (!pty || pty->fd < 0)
 		return;
 
-	disconnect_eloop(pty);
+	kmscon_eloop_rm_fd(pty->efd);
+	pty->efd = NULL;
 
 	close(pty->fd);
 	pty->fd = -1;
diff --git a/src/pty.h b/src/pty.h
index 302d2e8..54449ad 100644
--- a/src/pty.h
+++ b/src/pty.h
@@ -51,14 +51,13 @@ typedef void (*kmscon_pty_input_cb)
 		(struct kmscon_pty *pty, char *u8, size_t len, void *data);
 typedef void (*kmscon_pty_closed_cb) (struct kmscon_pty *pty, void *data);
 
-int kmscon_pty_new(struct kmscon_pty **out, kmscon_pty_input_cb input_cb,
-								void *data);
+int kmscon_pty_new(struct kmscon_pty **out, struct kmscon_eloop *loop,
+				kmscon_pty_input_cb input_cb, void *data);
 void kmscon_pty_ref(struct kmscon_pty *pty);
 void kmscon_pty_unref(struct kmscon_pty *pty);
 
-int kmscon_pty_open(struct kmscon_pty *pty, struct kmscon_eloop *eloop,
-				unsigned short width, unsigned short height,
-				kmscon_pty_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data);
+int kmscon_pty_open(struct kmscon_pty *pty, unsigned short width,
+	unsigned short height, kmscon_pty_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data);
 void kmscon_pty_close(struct kmscon_pty *pty);
 
 void kmscon_pty_write(struct kmscon_pty *pty, const char *u8, size_t len);
diff --git a/src/terminal.c b/src/terminal.c
index da4b39d..b1f7d42 100644
--- a/src/terminal.c
+++ b/src/terminal.c
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ static void pty_input(struct kmscon_pty *pty, char *u8, size_t len, void *data)
 }
 
 int kmscon_terminal_new(struct kmscon_terminal **out,
-	struct kmscon_font_factory *ff, struct kmscon_compositor *comp)
+		struct kmscon_eloop *loop, struct kmscon_font_factory *ff,
+					struct kmscon_compositor *comp)
 {
 	struct kmscon_terminal *term;
 	int ret;
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ int kmscon_terminal_new(struct kmscon_terminal **out,
 
 	memset(term, 0, sizeof(*term));
 	term->ref = 1;
+	term->eloop = loop;
 	term->comp = comp;
 
 	ret = kmscon_idle_new(&term->redraw);
@@ -151,10 +153,11 @@ int kmscon_terminal_new(struct kmscon_terminal **out,
 		goto err_con;
 	kmscon_vte_bind(term->vte, term->console);
 
-	ret = kmscon_pty_new(&term->pty, pty_input, term);
+	ret = kmscon_pty_new(&term->pty, term->eloop, pty_input, term);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_vte;
 
+	kmscon_eloop_ref(term->eloop);
 	kmscon_compositor_ref(term->comp);
 	*out = term;
 
@@ -195,33 +198,11 @@ void kmscon_terminal_unref(struct kmscon_terminal *term)
 	kmscon_console_unref(term->console);
 	kmscon_idle_unref(term->redraw);
 	kmscon_compositor_unref(term->comp);
+	kmscon_eloop_unref(term->eloop);
 	free(term);
 	log_debug("terminal: destroying terminal object\n");
 }
 
-int connect_eloop(struct kmscon_terminal *term, struct kmscon_eloop *eloop)
-{
-	if (!term || !eloop)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	if (term->eloop)
-		return -EALREADY;
-
-	kmscon_eloop_ref(eloop);
-	term->eloop = eloop;
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-void disconnect_eloop(struct kmscon_terminal *term)
-{
-	if (!term)
-		return;
-
-	kmscon_eloop_unref(term->eloop);
-	term->eloop = NULL;
-}
-
 static void pty_closed(struct kmscon_pty *pty, void *data)
 {
 	struct kmscon_terminal *term = data;
@@ -229,8 +210,7 @@ static void pty_closed(struct kmscon_pty *pty, void *data)
 }
 
 int kmscon_terminal_open(struct kmscon_terminal *term,
-				struct kmscon_eloop *eloop,
-				kmscon_terminal_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data)
+			kmscon_terminal_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data)
 {
 	int ret;
 	unsigned short width, height;
@@ -238,21 +218,11 @@ int kmscon_terminal_open(struct kmscon_terminal *term,
 	if (!term)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	ret = connect_eloop(term, eloop);
-	if (ret == -EALREADY) {
-		disconnect_eloop(term);
-		ret = connect_eloop(term, eloop);
-	}
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
 	width = kmscon_console_get_width(term->console);
 	height = kmscon_console_get_height(term->console);
-	ret = kmscon_pty_open(term->pty, eloop, width, height, pty_closed, term);
-	if (ret) {
-		disconnect_eloop(term);
+	ret = kmscon_pty_open(term->pty, width, height, pty_closed, term);
+	if (ret)
 		return ret;
-	}
 
 	term->closed_cb = closed_cb;
 	term->closed_data = data;
@@ -272,7 +242,6 @@ void kmscon_terminal_close(struct kmscon_terminal *term)
 	term->closed_data = NULL;
 	term->closed_cb = NULL;
 
-	disconnect_eloop(term);
 	kmscon_pty_close(term->pty);
 
 	if (cb)
diff --git a/src/terminal.h b/src/terminal.h
index d773c72..34a2c19 100644
--- a/src/terminal.h
+++ b/src/terminal.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "console.h"
+#include "eloop.h"
 #include "font.h"
 #include "output.h"
 #include "unicode.h"
@@ -45,13 +46,13 @@ typedef void (*kmscon_terminal_closed_cb) (struct kmscon_terminal *term,
 								void *data);
 
 int kmscon_terminal_new(struct kmscon_terminal **out,
-	struct kmscon_font_factory *ff, struct kmscon_compositor *comp);
+		struct kmscon_eloop *loop, struct kmscon_font_factory *ff,
+					struct kmscon_compositor *comp);
 void kmscon_terminal_ref(struct kmscon_terminal *term);
 void kmscon_terminal_unref(struct kmscon_terminal *term);
 
 int kmscon_terminal_open(struct kmscon_terminal *term,
-				struct kmscon_eloop *eloop,
-				kmscon_terminal_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data);
+			kmscon_terminal_closed_cb closed_cb, void *data);
 void kmscon_terminal_close(struct kmscon_terminal *term);
 
 int kmscon_terminal_add_output(struct kmscon_terminal *term,
diff --git a/tests/test_terminal.c b/tests/test_terminal.c
index 00d08cb..d94cf3b 100644
--- a/tests/test_terminal.c
+++ b/tests/test_terminal.c
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@ static void terminal_closed(struct kmscon_terminal *term, void *data)
 	if (!app)
 		goto err_out;
 
-	ret = kmscon_terminal_open(app->term, app->eloop,
-                                                terminal_closed, app);
+	ret = kmscon_terminal_open(app->term, terminal_closed, app);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_out;
 
@@ -247,12 +246,11 @@ static int setup_app(struct app *app)
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_loop;
 
-	ret = kmscon_terminal_new(&app->term, app->ff, app->comp);
+	ret = kmscon_terminal_new(&app->term, app->eloop, app->ff, app->comp);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_loop;
 
-	ret = kmscon_terminal_open(app->term, app->eloop,
-                                                terminal_closed, app);
+	ret = kmscon_terminal_open(app->term, terminal_closed, app);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_loop;