diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
index 8fb87b7d857c..d30676ae817b 100644
--- a/arch/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ config NIOS2
 	bool "Nios II architecture"
 	select CPU
 	select DM
-	imply DM_EVENT
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select OF_CONTROL
 	select SUPPORT_OF_CONTROL
 	imply CMD_DM
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ config RISCV
 	select SUPPORT_OF_CONTROL
 	select OF_CONTROL
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	imply SPL_SEPARATE_BSS if SPL
 	imply DM_SERIAL
-	imply DM_EVENT
 	imply DM_MMC
 	imply DM_SPI
 	imply DM_SPI_FLASH
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ config SANDBOX
 	select BZIP2
 	select CMD_POWEROFF
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select DM_FUZZING_ENGINE
 	select DM_GPIO
 	select DM_I2C
@@ -240,7 +241,6 @@ config X86
 	imply CMD_SF
 	imply CMD_SF_TEST
 	imply CMD_ZBOOT
-	imply DM_EVENT
 	imply DM_GPIO
 	imply DM_KEYBOARD
 	imply DM_MMC
diff --git a/arch/arm/Kconfig b/arch/arm/Kconfig
index bbf1d5227b3f..c9a44ebc2213 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/Kconfig
@@ -778,7 +778,6 @@ config ARCH_OMAP2PLUS
 	select SUPPORT_SPL
 	imply TI_SYSC if DM && OF_CONTROL
 	imply FIT
-	imply DM_EVENT
 	imply SPL_SEPARATE_BSS
 
 config ARCH_MESON
@@ -823,11 +822,11 @@ config ARCH_IMX8
 	select SYS_FSL_SEC_COMPAT_4
 	select SYS_FSL_SEC_LE
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select GPIO_EXTRA_HEADER
 	select MACH_IMX
 	select OF_CONTROL
 	select ENABLE_ARM_SOC_BOOT0_HOOK
-	imply DM_EVENT
 
 config ARCH_IMX8M
 	bool "NXP i.MX8M platform"
@@ -839,14 +838,15 @@ config ARCH_IMX8M
 	select SYS_FSL_SEC_LE
 	select SYS_I2C_MXC
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT if CLK
 	select SUPPORT_SPL
 	imply CMD_DM
-	imply DM_EVENT
 
 config ARCH_IMX8ULP
 	bool "NXP i.MX8ULP platform"
 	select ARM64
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select MACH_IMX
 	select OF_CONTROL
 	select SUPPORT_SPL
@@ -854,19 +854,18 @@ config ARCH_IMX8ULP
 	select MISC
 	select IMX_SENTINEL
 	imply CMD_DM
-	imply DM_EVENT
 
 config ARCH_IMX9
 	bool "NXP i.MX9 platform"
 	select ARM64
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select MACH_IMX
 	select SUPPORT_SPL
 	select GPIO_EXTRA_HEADER
 	select MISC
 	select IMX_SENTINEL
 	imply CMD_DM
-	imply DM_EVENT
 
 config ARCH_IMXRT
 	bool "NXP i.MXRT platform"
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-omap2/Kconfig b/arch/arm/mach-omap2/Kconfig
index 1db71df27212..309b967b0dd5 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-omap2/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-omap2/Kconfig
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ config OMAP34XX
 
 config OMAP44XX
 	bool "OMAP44XX SoC"
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select SPL_USE_TINY_PRINTF
 	select SPL_SYS_NO_VECTOR_TABLE if SPL
 	imply NAND_OMAP_ELM
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ config OMAP54XX
 	bool "OMAP54XX SoC"
 	select ARM_CORTEX_A15_CVE_2017_5715
 	select ARM_ERRATA_798870
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select SYS_THUMB_BUILD
 	imply NAND_OMAP_ELM
 	imply NAND_OMAP_GPMC
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@ config AM43XX
 config AM33XX
 	bool "AM33XX SoC"
 	select ARM_CORTEX_A8_CVE_2017_5715
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select SPECIFY_CONSOLE_INDEX
 	imply NAND_OMAP_ELM
 	imply NAND_OMAP_GPMC
diff --git a/arch/mips/Kconfig b/arch/mips/Kconfig
index 23142bd2700d..569f5f48bc6c 100644
--- a/arch/mips/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/mips/Kconfig
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ config MACH_PIC32
 	bool "Support Microchip PIC32"
 	select HAS_FIXED_TIMER_FREQUENCY
 	select DM
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select OF_CONTROL
 	imply CMD_DM
 
@@ -128,7 +129,6 @@ config TARGET_BOSTON
 	bool "Support Boston"
 	select HAS_FIXED_TIMER_FREQUENCY
 	select DM
-	imply DM_EVENT
 	select DM_SERIAL
 	select MIPS_CM
 	select SYS_CACHE_SHIFT_6
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/Kconfig b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/Kconfig
index 1b180481a483..2c54a9e2120f 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc85xx/Kconfig
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ config TARGET_KMP204X
 config TARGET_KMCENT2
 	bool "Support kmcent2"
 	select VENDOR_KM
+	select EVENT
 	select FSL_CORENET
 	select SYS_DPAA_FMAN
 	select SYS_DPAA_PME
diff --git a/arch/x86/Kconfig b/arch/x86/Kconfig
index 93f1c77be3f3..07be5cd05ec0 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/Kconfig
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ config FSP_VERSION1
 
 config FSP_VERSION2
 	bool "FSP version 2.x"
+	select DM_EVENT
 	help
 	  This covers versions 2.0 and 2.1. See here for details:
 	  https://github.com/IntelFsp/fsp/wiki
diff --git a/arch/x86/cpu/baytrail/Kconfig b/arch/x86/cpu/baytrail/Kconfig
index d2c3473d6abf..a8efea8a3413 100644
--- a/arch/x86/cpu/baytrail/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/cpu/baytrail/Kconfig
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ config INTEL_BAYTRAIL
 	select HAVE_FSP
 	select ARCH_MISC_INIT
 	select CPU_INTEL_TURBO_NOT_PACKAGE_SCOPED
+	select DM_EVENT
 	imply HAVE_INTEL_ME
 	imply ENABLE_MRC_CACHE
 	imply AHCI_PCI
diff --git a/arch/x86/cpu/broadwell/Kconfig b/arch/x86/cpu/broadwell/Kconfig
index 5b015c89d950..39deda364479 100644
--- a/arch/x86/cpu/broadwell/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/cpu/broadwell/Kconfig
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 config INTEL_BROADWELL
 	bool
 	select CACHE_MRC_BIN
+	select DM_EVENT
 	select ARCH_EARLY_INIT_R
 	imply HAVE_INTEL_ME
 	imply ENABLE_MRC_CACHE
diff --git a/arch/x86/cpu/ivybridge/Kconfig b/arch/x86/cpu/ivybridge/Kconfig
index be3ef5e5d8f8..704f145adf88 100644
--- a/arch/x86/cpu/ivybridge/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/cpu/ivybridge/Kconfig
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 config NORTHBRIDGE_INTEL_IVYBRIDGE
 	bool
 	select CACHE_MRC_BIN if HAVE_MRC
+	select DM_EVENT
 	imply HAVE_INTEL_ME
 	imply ENABLE_MRC_CACHE
 	imply AHCI_PCI
diff --git a/arch/x86/cpu/quark/Kconfig b/arch/x86/cpu/quark/Kconfig
index 61bb5792c868..0d4008a31f4c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/cpu/quark/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/cpu/quark/Kconfig
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ config INTEL_QUARK
 	select HAVE_RMU
 	select ARCH_EARLY_INIT_R
 	select ARCH_MISC_INIT
+	select DM_EVENT
 	imply ENABLE_MRC_CACHE
 	imply ETH_DESIGNWARE
 	imply ICH_SPI
diff --git a/board/google/Kconfig b/board/google/Kconfig
index 0474b4e69384..a0f1a6097641 100644
--- a/board/google/Kconfig
+++ b/board/google/Kconfig
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ choice
 config TARGET_CHROMEBOOK_CORAL
 	bool "Chromebook coral"
 	select BIOSEMU
+	select EVENT
 	help
 	  This is a range of Intel-based laptops released in 2018. They use an
 	  Intel Apollo Lake SoC. The design supports WiFi, 4GB to 16GB of
diff --git a/board/keymile/Kconfig b/board/keymile/Kconfig
index e5d7c80a869d..bf899d005c46 100644
--- a/board/keymile/Kconfig
+++ b/board/keymile/Kconfig
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ config SYS_IVM_EEPROM_PAGE_LEN
 
 config PG_WCOM_UBOOT_UPDATE_SUPPORTED
 	bool "Enable U-boot Field Fail-Safe Update Functionality"
+	select EVENT
 	default n
 	help
 	  Indicates that field fail-safe u-boot update is supported.
diff --git a/boot/Kconfig b/boot/Kconfig
index 30bc182fcd5c..daa01a10ebdc 100644
--- a/boot/Kconfig
+++ b/boot/Kconfig
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ config BOOTMETH_VBE
 	depends on FIT
 	default y
 	select BOOTMETH_GLOBAL
+	select EVENT
 	help
 	  Enables support for VBE boot. This is a standard boot method which
 	  supports selection of various firmware components, seleciton of an OS to
@@ -482,6 +483,7 @@ config BOOTMETH_VBE
 config SPL_BOOTMETH_VBE
 	bool "Bootdev support for Verified Boot for Embedded (SPL)"
 	depends on SPL && FIT
+	select EVENT
 	default y if VPL
 	help
 	  Enables support for VBE boot. This is a standard boot method which
@@ -491,6 +493,7 @@ config SPL_BOOTMETH_VBE
 config VPL_BOOTMETH_VBE
 	bool "Bootdev support for Verified Boot for Embedded (VPL)"
 	depends on VPL && FIT
+	select EVENT
 	default y
 	help
 	  Enables support for VBE boot. This is a standard boot method which
diff --git a/cmd/Kconfig b/cmd/Kconfig
index b2aefae9cb70..4fe2c75de256 100644
--- a/cmd/Kconfig
+++ b/cmd/Kconfig
@@ -2622,6 +2622,7 @@ config CMD_DIAG
 
 config CMD_EVENT
 	bool "event - Show information about events"
+	depends on EVENT
 	default y if EVENT_DEBUG
 	help
 	  This enables the 'event' command which provides information about
diff --git a/common/Kconfig b/common/Kconfig
index 439b2198f605..1c9f4774ba7a 100644
--- a/common/Kconfig
+++ b/common/Kconfig
@@ -604,24 +604,23 @@ config CYCLIC_MAX_CPU_TIME_US
 endif # CYCLIC
 
 config EVENT
-	bool "General-purpose event-handling mechanism"
-	default y if SANDBOX
+	bool
 	help
-	  This enables sending and processing of events, to allow interested
-	  parties to be alerted when something happens. This is an attempt to
-	  stem the flow of weak functions, hooks, functions in board_f.c
-	  and board_r.c and the Kconfig options below.
+	  This adds a framework for general purpose sending and processing of
+	  events, to allow interested parties to be alerted when something
+	  happens. This is an attempt to stem the flow of weak functions,
+	  hooks, functions in board_f.c and board_r.c and the Kconfig options
+	  below.
 
 	  See doc/develop/event.rst for more information.
 
 if EVENT
 
 config EVENT_DYNAMIC
-	bool "Support event registration at runtime"
-	default y if SANDBOX
+	bool
 	help
 	  Enable this to support adding an event spy at runtime, without adding
-	  it to the EVENT_SPy() linker list. This increases code size slightly
+	  it to the EVENT_SPY() linker list. This increases code size slightly
 	  but provides more flexibility for boards and subsystems that need it.
 
 config EVENT_DEBUG
diff --git a/drivers/core/Kconfig b/drivers/core/Kconfig
index 8fde77c23ee0..6fc8854b574b 100644
--- a/drivers/core/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/core/Kconfig
@@ -109,13 +109,14 @@ config DM_DEVICE_REMOVE
 	  causes USB host controllers to not be stopped when booting the OS.
 
 config DM_EVENT
-	bool "Support events with driver model"
-	depends on DM && EVENT
-	default y if SANDBOX
+	bool
+	depends on DM
+	select EVENT
 	help
 	  This enables support for generating events related to driver model
 	  operations, such as prbing or removing a device. Subsystems can
-	  register a 'spy' function that is called when the event occurs.
+	  register a 'spy' function that is called when the event occurs. Such
+	  subsystems must select this option.
 
 config SPL_DM_DEVICE_REMOVE
 	bool "Support device removal in SPL"
diff --git a/drivers/cpu/Kconfig b/drivers/cpu/Kconfig
index 21874335c873..3bf04105e5e9 100644
--- a/drivers/cpu/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/cpu/Kconfig
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ config CPU_RISCV
 config CPU_MICROBLAZE
 	bool "Enable Microblaze CPU driver"
 	depends on CPU && MICROBLAZE
-	select EVENT
 	select DM_EVENT
 	select XILINX_MICROBLAZE0_PVR
 	help
diff --git a/lib/efi_loader/Kconfig b/lib/efi_loader/Kconfig
index b498c72206fd..c5c045e59349 100644
--- a/lib/efi_loader/Kconfig
+++ b/lib/efi_loader/Kconfig
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ config EFI_LOADER
 	depends on !EFI_APP
 	default y if !ARM || SYS_CPU = armv7 || SYS_CPU = armv8
 	select CHARSET
-	select DM_EVENT
-	select EVENT
-	select EVENT_DYNAMIC
+	# We need to send DM events, dynamically, in the EFI block driver
+	select DM_EVENT if PARTITIONS
+	select EVENT_DYNAMIC if PARTITIONS
 	select LIB_UUID
 	imply PARTITION_UUIDS
 	select REGEX
