diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4c9902efc64..693db0644d0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1265,9 +1265,9 @@ if test x$use_pkgconfig = xyes; then
         BITCOIN_QT_CHECK([PKG_CHECK_MODULES([QR], [libqrencode], [have_qrencode=yes], [have_qrencode=no])])
       fi
       if test x$build_bitcoin_cli$build_bitcoind$bitcoin_enable_qt$use_tests$use_bench != xnonononono; then
-        PKG_CHECK_MODULES([EVENT], [libevent], [use_libevent=yes], [AC_MSG_ERROR(libevent not found.)])
+        PKG_CHECK_MODULES([EVENT], [libevent >= 2.0.21], [use_libevent=yes], [AC_MSG_ERROR(libevent version 2.0.21 or greater not found.)])
         if test x$TARGET_OS != xwindows; then
-          PKG_CHECK_MODULES([EVENT_PTHREADS], [libevent_pthreads],, [AC_MSG_ERROR(libevent_pthreads not found.)])
+          PKG_CHECK_MODULES([EVENT_PTHREADS], [libevent_pthreads >= 2.0.21],, [AC_MSG_ERROR(libevent_pthreads version 2.0.21 or greater not found.)])
         fi
       fi
 
diff --git a/doc/dependencies.md b/doc/dependencies.md
index 51a22401074..0cb5311e8b7 100644
--- a/doc/dependencies.md
+++ b/doc/dependencies.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ These are the dependencies currently used by Bitcoin Core. You can find instruct
 | FreeType | [2.7.1](https://download.savannah.gnu.org/releases/freetype) |  | No |  | [Yes](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/depends/packages/qt.mk) (Android only) |
 | GCC |  | [4.8+](https://gcc.gnu.org/) (C++11 support) |  |  |  |
 | HarfBuzz-NG |  |  |  |  | [Yes](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/depends/packages/qt.mk) |
-| libevent | [2.1.11-stable](https://github.com/libevent/libevent/releases) | 2.0.22 | No |  |  |
+| libevent | [2.1.11-stable](https://github.com/libevent/libevent/releases) | [2.0.21](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/18676) | No |  |  |
 | libpng |  |  |  |  | [Yes](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/depends/packages/qt.mk) |
 | librsvg | |  |  |  |  |
 | MiniUPnPc | [2.0.20180203](https://miniupnp.tuxfamily.org/files) |  | No |  |  |