diff --git a/cmd/podman/system/events.go b/cmd/podman/system/events.go
index a7c733df1f..44b24319c0 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/system/events.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/system/events.go
@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ func eventsCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 	}
 
 	go func() {
-		err := registry.ContainerEngine().Events(context.Background(), eventOptions)
-		errChannel <- err
+		errChannel <- registry.ContainerEngine().Events(context.Background(), eventOptions)
 	}()
 
 	for {
@@ -171,6 +170,13 @@ func eventsCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 		case event, ok := <-eventChannel:
 			if !ok {
 				// channel was closed we can exit
+				select {
+				case err := <-errChannel:
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				default:
+				}
 				return nil
 			}
 			switch {
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/events.go b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/events.go
index ceb1493e03..4ab12eb022 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/events.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/events.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func GetEvents(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	libpodFilters, err := util.FiltersFromRequest(r)
 	if err != nil {
-		utils.Error(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse parameters for %s: %w", r.URL.String(), err))
+		utils.Error(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse filters for %s: %w", r.URL.String(), err))
 		return
 	}
 	eventChannel := make(chan *events.Event)
@@ -68,8 +68,13 @@ func GetEvents(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
-	flush()
+	wroteContent := false
+	defer func() {
+		if !wroteContent {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+			flush()
+		}
+	}()
 
 	coder := json.NewEncoder(w)
 	coder.SetEscapeHTML(true)
@@ -78,8 +83,8 @@ func GetEvents(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		select {
 		case err := <-errorChannel:
 			if err != nil {
-				// FIXME StatusOK already sent above cannot send 500 here
 				utils.InternalServerError(w, err)
+				wroteContent = true
 			}
 			return
 		case evt := <-eventChannel:
@@ -103,6 +108,7 @@ func GetEvents(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			if err := coder.Encode(e); err != nil {
 				logrus.Errorf("Unable to write json: %q", err)
 			}
+			wroteContent = true
 			flush()
 		case <-r.Context().Done():
 			return
diff --git a/pkg/bindings/system/system.go b/pkg/bindings/system/system.go
index e97ebc7b66..dbe5c318ea 100644
--- a/pkg/bindings/system/system.go
+++ b/pkg/bindings/system/system.go
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ func Events(ctx context.Context, eventChan chan types.Event, cancelChan chan boo
 		}()
 	}
 
+	if response.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return response.Process(nil)
+	}
+
 	dec := json.NewDecoder(response.Body)
 	for err = (error)(nil); err == nil; {
 		var e = types.Event{}
diff --git a/test/system/090-events.bats b/test/system/090-events.bats
index 5f023400b3..072d7f9f4f 100644
--- a/test/system/090-events.bats
+++ b/test/system/090-events.bats
@@ -406,3 +406,8 @@ EOF
     run_podman events --since=1m --stream=false --filter volume=${vname:0:5}
     assert "$output" = "$notrunc_results"
 }
+
+@test "events - invalid filter" {
+    run_podman 125 events --since="the dawn of time...ish"
+    assert "$output" =~ "failed to parse event filters"
+}