diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_ajoystick.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_ajoystick.c
index cbbe74b463..d6adee5b47 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_ajoystick.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_ajoystick.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ static const struct ajoy_lowerhalf_s g_ajoylower =
 
 /* Driver state data */
 
+static int g_eventloop;
 static bool g_ajoy_valid;                  /* True: Sample data is valid */
 static struct ajoy_sample_s g_ajoy_sample; /* Last sample data */
 static ajoy_buttonset_t g_ajoy_buttons;    /* Last buttons set */
@@ -196,12 +197,17 @@ int sim_ajoy_initialize(void)
  * Name: up_buttonevent
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
+void up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
 {
   ajoy_buttonset_t changed;
   ajoy_buttonset_t pressed;
   ajoy_buttonset_t released;
 
+  if (g_eventloop == 0)
+    {
+      return;
+    }
+
   /* Same the positional data */
 
   g_ajoy_sample.as_x = x;
@@ -248,6 +254,4 @@ int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
             }
         }
     }
-
-  return OK;
 }
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_idle.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_idle.c
index 2b53cbfe7d..a8d38621d8 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_idle.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_idle.c
@@ -107,6 +107,12 @@ void up_idle(void)
   up_devconloop();
 #endif
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN) || defined(CONFIG_SIM_AJOYSTICK)
+  /* Drive the X11 event loop */
+
+  up_x11events();
+#endif
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_NET_ETHERNET) && defined(CONFIG_SIM_NETDEV)
   /* Run the network if enabled */
 
@@ -148,15 +154,6 @@ void up_idle(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SIM_X11FB
   if (g_x11initialized)
     {
-#if defined(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN) || defined(CONFIG_SIM_AJOYSTICK)
-      /* Drive the X11 event loop */
-
-      if (g_eventloop)
-        {
-          up_x11events();
-        }
-#endif
-
       /* Update the display periodically */
 
       g_x11refresh += 1000000 / CLK_TCK;
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_internal.h b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_internal.h
index 67b906a762..b536c7867c 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_internal.h
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_internal.h
@@ -199,9 +199,6 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SIM_X11FB
 extern int g_x11initialized;
-#if defined(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN) || defined(CONFIG_SIM_AJOYSTICK)
-extern volatile int g_eventloop;
-#endif
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
@@ -300,21 +297,17 @@ int up_x11cmap(unsigned short first, unsigned short len,
 
 /* up_touchscreen.c *********************************************************/
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN
 int  sim_tsc_initialize(int minor);
 void sim_tsc_uninitialize(void);
-
-/* up_eventloop.c ***********************************************************/
-
-#if defined(CONFIG_SIM_X11FB) && \
-   (defined(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN) || defined(CONFIG_SIM_AJOYSTICK))
-void up_x11events(void);
 #endif
 
 /* up_eventloop.c ***********************************************************/
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SIM_X11FB) && \
    (defined(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN) || defined(CONFIG_SIM_AJOYSTICK))
-int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons);
+void up_x11events(void);
+void up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons);
 #endif
 
 /* up_ajoystick.c ***********************************************************/
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_touchscreen.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_touchscreen.c
index 7bf2628fba..f5703b4919 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_touchscreen.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_touchscreen.c
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ struct up_sample_s
 
 struct up_dev_s
 {
+  int eventloop;
   volatile uint8_t nwaiters;           /* Number of threads waiting for touchscreen data */
   uint8_t id;                          /* Current touch point ID */
   uint8_t minor;                       /* Minor device number */
@@ -650,7 +651,7 @@ int sim_tsc_initialize(int minor)
 
   /* Enable X11 event processing from the IDLE loop */
 
-  g_eventloop = 1;
+  priv->eventloop = 1;
 
   /* And return success */
 
@@ -691,7 +692,7 @@ void sim_tsc_uninitialize(void)
    * done in close() using a reference count).
    */
 
-  g_eventloop = 0;
+  priv->eventloop = 0;
 
   /* Un-register the device */
 
@@ -714,11 +715,16 @@ void sim_tsc_uninitialize(void)
  * Name: up_buttonevent
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
+void up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
 {
   FAR struct up_dev_s *priv = (FAR struct up_dev_s *)&g_simtouchscreen;
   bool                 pendown;  /* true: pen is down */
 
+  if (priv->eventloop == 0)
+    {
+      return;
+    }
+
   iinfo("x=%d y=%d buttons=%02x\n", x, y, buttons);
   iinfo("contact=%d nwaiters=%d\n", priv->sample.contact, priv->nwaiters);
 
@@ -736,7 +742,7 @@ int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
 
       if (priv->sample.contact == CONTACT_NONE)
         {
-          return OK;
+          return;
         }
 
       /* Not yet reported */
@@ -772,5 +778,4 @@ int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons)
   /* Notify any waiters that new touchscreen data is available */
 
   up_notify(priv);
-  return OK;
 }
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_x11eventloop.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_x11eventloop.c
index fea5b1026a..35d01efe45 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/up_x11eventloop.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/up_x11eventloop.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
  * Public Function Prototypes
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-extern int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons);
+extern void up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons);
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Data
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ extern int up_buttonevent(int x, int y, int buttons);
 
 extern Display *g_display;
 
-volatile int g_eventloop;
-
 /****************************************************************************
  * Private Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
@@ -107,7 +105,7 @@ void up_x11events(void)
 
   /* Check if there are any pending, queue X11 events. */
 
-  if (XPending(g_display) > 0)
+  if (g_display && XPending(g_display) > 0)
     {
       /* Yes, get the event (this should not block since we know there are
        * pending events)