diff --git a/lib/activate/activate.c b/lib/activate/activate.c
index 2328abe61..58e687321 100644
--- a/lib/activate/activate.c
+++ b/lib/activate/activate.c
@@ -1662,7 +1662,10 @@ static struct dm_event_handler *_create_dm_event_handler(struct cmd_context *cmd
 	if (!(dmevh = dm_event_handler_create()))
 		return_NULL;
 
-	if (dm_event_handler_set_dmeventd_path(dmevh, find_config_tree_str(cmd, dmeventd_executable_CFG, NULL)))
+	if (!cmd->default_settings.dmeventd_executable)
+		cmd->default_settings.dmeventd_executable = find_config_tree_str(cmd, dmeventd_executable_CFG, NULL);
+
+	if (dm_event_handler_set_dmeventd_path(dmevh, cmd->default_settings.dmeventd_executable))
 		goto_bad;
 
 	if (dso && dm_event_handler_set_dso(dmevh, dso))
diff --git a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
index 4419daab8..392116725 100644
--- a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
+++ b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ struct config_info {
 	int cache_vgmetadata;
 	const char *msg_prefix;
 	const char *fmt_name;
+	const char *dmeventd_executable;
 	uint64_t unit_factor;
 	int cmd_name;		/* Show command name? */
 	mode_t umask;