diff --git a/examples/domain-events/events-c/event-test.c b/examples/domain-events/events-c/event-test.c
index af1f47d09ae0a1ea386b072a835a42267572e8ef..648e6eaef64524c89cdbc4e8bfdc8632f4c23c49 100644
--- a/examples/domain-events/events-c/event-test.c
+++ b/examples/domain-events/events-c/event-test.c
@@ -353,7 +353,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     virEventRegisterDefaultImpl();
 
     virConnectPtr dconn = NULL;
-    dconn = virConnectOpenReadOnly (argv[1] ? argv[1] : NULL);
+    dconn = virConnectOpenAuth(argc > 1 ? argv[1] : NULL,
+                               virConnectAuthPtrDefault,
+                               VIR_CONNECT_RO);
     if (!dconn) {
         printf("error opening\n");
         return -1;