diff --git a/src/backend/x11/event.c b/src/backend/x11/event.c
index 1d008ed..a2e2777 100644
--- a/src/backend/x11/event.c
+++ b/src/backend/x11/event.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static bool handle_map_request(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
                                const xcb_map_request_event_t *xcb_event) {
   xcb_window_t window = xcb_event->window;
 
-  p_clear(event, 1);
+  event_reset(event);
   event->type = ZDWM_EVENT_WINDOW_MAP_REQUEST;
 
   window_map_request_event_t *ev = &event->as.window_map_request;
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ static bool handle_map_request(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
 
 static bool handle_unmap_notify(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
                                 const xcb_unmap_notify_event_t *xcb_event) {
-  p_clear(event, 1);
+  event_reset(event);
   event->type = ZDWM_EVENT_WINDOW_REMOVE;
   /* TODO: */
   return true;
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static bool handle_unmap_notify(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
 
 static bool handle_destroy_notify(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
                                   const xcb_destroy_notify_event_t *xcb_event) {
-  p_clear(event, 1);
+  event_reset(event);
   event->type = ZDWM_EVENT_WINDOW_REMOVE;
   /* TODO: */
   return true;
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static bool handle_destroy_notify(backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
 static bool handle_configure_request(
   backend_t *backend, event_t *event,
   const xcb_configure_request_event_t *xcb_event) {
-  p_clear(event, 1);
+  event_reset(event);
   event->type = ZDWM_EVENT_CONFIGURE_REQUEST;
   /* TODO: */
   return true;
@@ -179,5 +179,6 @@ bool backend_next_event(backend_t *backend, event_t *event) {
 
     p_delete(&raw_event);
     if (handled) return true;
+    event_reset(event);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/event.c b/src/core/event.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0268dc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/event.c
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#include "core/event.h"
+
+#include "base/memory.h"
+
+static void window_layer_props_cleanup(window_layer_props_t *props) {
+  if (!props) return;
+
+  p_delete(&props->types);
+  props->type_count = 0;
+  p_delete(&props->states);
+  props->state_count = 0;
+}
+
+static void window_metadata_cleanup(window_metadata_t *metadata) {
+  if (!metadata) return;
+
+  p_delete(&metadata->title);
+  p_delete(&metadata->app_id);
+  p_delete(&metadata->role);
+  p_delete(&metadata->class_name);
+  p_delete(&metadata->instance_name);
+}
+
+void event_cleanup(event_t *event) {
+  if (!event) return;
+
+  switch (event->type) {
+    case ZDWM_EVENT_WINDOW_MAP_REQUEST:
+      window_layer_props_cleanup(&event->as.window_map_request.props);
+      window_metadata_cleanup(&event->as.window_map_request.metadata);
+      break;
+    case ZDWM_EVENT_WINDOW_METADATA_CHANGED:
+      window_metadata_cleanup(&event->as.window_metadata_change.metadata);
+      break;
+    default:
+      break;
+  }
+}
+
+void event_reset(event_t *event) {
+  if (!event) return;
+
+  event_cleanup(event);
+  p_clear(event, 1);
+}
diff --git a/src/core/event.h b/src/core/event.h
index 38a7a9f..8463af2 100644
--- a/src/core/event.h
+++ b/src/core/event.h
@@ -178,3 +178,6 @@ typedef struct event_t {
     configure_request_event_t configure_request;
   } as;
 } event_t;
+
+void event_cleanup(event_t *event);
+void event_reset(event_t *event);
diff --git a/src/core/runtime.c b/src/core/runtime.c
index b4b0e9c..51f6ef9 100644
--- a/src/core/runtime.c
+++ b/src/core/runtime.c
@@ -97,5 +97,7 @@ void runtime_run(runtime_t *runtime) {
     if (!backend_next_event(runtime->backend, &event)) {
       break;
     }
+
+    event_cleanup(&event);
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/config/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/config/CMakeLists.txt
index 86dd7dc..f58afde 100644
--- a/tests/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ add_executable(${RUNTIME_CONFIG_TEST_APP_NAME}
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/config/defaults.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/config/loader.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/config/runtime_config.c
+    ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/event.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/layer.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/layout.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/rules.c
diff --git a/tests/core/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 22f4a40..bcc4cd6 100644
--- a/tests/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ add_executable(${TEST_APP_NAME}
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/backend/x11/backend.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/backend/x11/event.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/backend/x11/window.c
+    ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/event.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/layer.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/layout.c
     ${SOURCE_DIR}/core/rules.c