diff --git a/tests/poller.cpp b/tests/poller.cpp
index efb14f5..307c72a 100644
--- a/tests/poller.cpp
+++ b/tests/poller.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,17 @@ static_assert(!std::is_copy_constructible<zmq::poller_t<>>::value,
 static_assert(!std::is_copy_assignable<zmq::poller_t<>>::value,
               "poller_t should not be copy-assignable");
 
+TEST_CASE("event flags", "[poller]")
+{
+    CHECK((zmq::event_flags::pollin | zmq::event_flags::pollout)
+        == static_cast<zmq::event_flags>(ZMQ_POLLIN | ZMQ_POLLOUT));
+    CHECK((zmq::event_flags::pollin & zmq::event_flags::pollout)
+        == static_cast<zmq::event_flags>(ZMQ_POLLIN & ZMQ_POLLOUT));
+    CHECK((zmq::event_flags::pollin ^ zmq::event_flags::pollout)
+        == static_cast<zmq::event_flags>(ZMQ_POLLIN ^ ZMQ_POLLOUT));
+    CHECK(~zmq::event_flags::pollin == static_cast<zmq::event_flags>(~ZMQ_POLLIN));
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("poller create destroy", "[poller]")
 {
     zmq::poller_t<> a;
diff --git a/zmq.hpp b/zmq.hpp
index 1829247..eb8e9cb 100644
--- a/zmq.hpp
+++ b/zmq.hpp
@@ -1837,15 +1837,19 @@ enum class event_flags : short
 
 constexpr event_flags operator|(event_flags a, event_flags b) noexcept
 {
-    return static_cast<event_flags>(static_cast<short>(a) | static_cast<short>(b));
+    return detail::enum_bit_or(a, b);
 }
 constexpr event_flags operator&(event_flags a, event_flags b) noexcept
 {
-    return static_cast<event_flags>(static_cast<short>(a) & static_cast<short>(b));
+    return detail::enum_bit_and(a, b);
+}
+constexpr event_flags operator^(event_flags a, event_flags b) noexcept
+{
+    return detail::enum_bit_xor(a, b);
 }
 constexpr event_flags operator~(event_flags a) noexcept
 {
-    return static_cast<event_flags>(~static_cast<short>(a));
+    return detail::enum_bit_not(a);
 }
 
 struct no_user_data;