diff --git a/src/callint.c b/src/callint.c
index 6f8a7f13f6..381a3443d2 100644
--- a/src/callint.c
+++ b/src/callint.c
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ DEFUN ("call-interactively", Fcall_interactively, Scall_interactively, 1, 3, 0,
 	  break;
 
 	case 'e':		/* The invoking event.  */
-	  if (next_event >= key_count)
+	  if (!inhibit_event_check && next_event >= key_count)
 	    error ("%s must be bound to an event with parameters",
 		   (SYMBOLP (function)
 		    ? SSDATA (SYMBOL_NAME (function))
@@ -900,6 +900,13 @@ syms_of_callint (void)
 a way to turn themselves off when a mouse command switches windows.  */);
   Vmouse_leave_buffer_hook = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_BOOL ("inhibit-event-check", inhibit_event_check,
+    doc: /* Non-nil means the interactive spec "e" doesn't check for events.
+In this case `(interactive "e")' doesn't signal an error when no event
+is produced.  Then `event-start', `event-end', `event-click-count'
+can create a new event.  */);
+  inhibit_event_check = false;
+
   defsubr (&Sinteractive);
   defsubr (&Scall_interactively);
   defsubr (&Sfuncall_interactively);