diff --git a/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.h b/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.h
index d6658867b7d1..73d6d682e8c5 100644
--- a/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.h
+++ b/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.h
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ void background_callback_run_all(void);
 
 #define MICROPY_VM_HOOK_LOOP RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
 #define MICROPY_VM_HOOK_RETURN RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
+#define MICROPY_INTERNAL_EVENT_HOOK (RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS)
 
 // CIRCUITPY_AUTORELOAD_DELAY_MS = 0 will completely disable autoreload.
 #ifndef CIRCUITPY_AUTORELOAD_DELAY_MS
diff --git a/py/scheduler.c b/py/scheduler.c
index 91ef7e63b38f..99952d28aca6 100644
--- a/py/scheduler.c
+++ b/py/scheduler.c
@@ -271,10 +271,6 @@ void mp_event_wait_indefinite(void) {
     MICROPY_EVENT_POLL_HOOK
     #else
     mp_event_handle_nowait();
-
-    // CIRCUITPY-CHANGE: don't starve CircuitPython background tasks
-    RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
-
     MICROPY_INTERNAL_WFE(-1);
     #endif
 }
@@ -287,10 +283,6 @@ void mp_event_wait_ms(mp_uint_t timeout_ms) {
     MICROPY_EVENT_POLL_HOOK
     #else
     mp_event_handle_nowait();
-
-    // CIRCUITPY-CHANGE: don't starve CircuitPython background tasks
-    RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
-
     MICROPY_INTERNAL_WFE(timeout_ms);
     #endif
 }