diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index ca0024e13..93f007ef6 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -930,8 +930,8 @@ CheckInputEvents()
 {
     dnl Check for Linux 2.4 unified input event interface support
     AC_ARG_ENABLE(input-events,
-[  --enable-input-events   use Linux 2.4 unified input interface [default=no]],
-                  , enable_input_events=no)
+[  --enable-input-events   use Linux 2.4 unified input interface [default=yes]],
+                  , enable_input_events=yes)
     if test x$enable_input_events = xyes; then
         AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Linux 2.4 unified input interface)
         use_input_events=no
diff --git a/src/joystick/linux/SDL_sysjoystick.c b/src/joystick/linux/SDL_sysjoystick.c
index 8545c3460..828cc22a3 100644
--- a/src/joystick/linux/SDL_sysjoystick.c
+++ b/src/joystick/linux/SDL_sysjoystick.c
@@ -143,9 +143,8 @@ int SDL_SYS_JoystickInit(void)
 		"/dev/js%d",
 #ifdef USE_INPUT_EVENTS
 		"/dev/input/event%d"
-#else
-		"/dev/input/js%d"
 #endif
+		"/dev/input/js%d"
 	};
 	int numjoysticks;
 	int i, j, done;
@@ -222,6 +221,15 @@ int SDL_SYS_JoystickInit(void)
 				done = 1;
 			}
 		}
+        /* This is a special case...
+           If we're looking at the /dev/input event devices, and we found
+           at least one, then we don't want to look at the input joystick
+           devices, since they're built on top of devices that we've already
+           seen, so we're done.
+         */
+        if ( i > 0 && j > 0 ) {
+            done = 1;
+        }
 	}
 	return(numjoysticks);
 }