diff --git a/app/include/zmk/event_manager.h b/app/include/zmk/event_manager.h
index 489147443a5..6213db16a8b 100644
--- a/app/include/zmk/event_manager.h
+++ b/app/include/zmk/event_manager.h
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ struct zmk_event_subscription {
         return *outer;                                                                             \
     };                                                                                             \
     int raise_##event_type(struct event_type data) {                                               \
-        struct event_type##_event ev = {.data = data};                                             \
-        ev.header.event = &zmk_event_##event_type;                                                 \
+        struct event_type##_event ev = {.data = data,                                              \
+                                        .header = {.event = &zmk_event_##event_type}};             \
         return ZMK_EVENT_RAISE(ev);                                                                \
     };                                                                                             \
     struct event_type *as_##event_type(const zmk_event_t *eh) {                                    \
@@ -71,15 +71,19 @@ struct zmk_event_subscription {
             .listener = &zmk_listener_##mod,                                                       \
     };
 
-#define ZMK_EVENT_RAISE(ev) zmk_event_manager_raise((zmk_event_t *)&ev);
+#define ZMK_ASSERT_EVENT_LIKE(ev)                                                                  \
+    (__ASSERT((uint8_t *)&(ev).header - (uint8_t *)&ev == 0,                                       \
+              "header must be first element of event"))
+
+#define ZMK_EVENT_RAISE(ev) (ZMK_ASSERT_EVENT_LIKE(ev), zmk_event_manager_raise(&(ev).header))
 
 #define ZMK_EVENT_RAISE_AFTER(ev, mod)                                                             \
-    zmk_event_manager_raise_after((zmk_event_t *)&ev, &zmk_listener_##mod);
+    (ZMK_ASSERT_EVENT_LIKE(ev), zmk_event_manager_raise_after(&(ev).header, &zmk_listener_##mod))
 
 #define ZMK_EVENT_RAISE_AT(ev, mod)                                                                \
-    zmk_event_manager_raise_at((zmk_event_t *)&ev, &zmk_listener_##mod);
+    (ZMK_ASSERT_EVENT_LIKE(ev), zmk_event_manager_raise_at(&(ev).header, &zmk_listener_##mod))
 
-#define ZMK_EVENT_RELEASE(ev) zmk_event_manager_release((zmk_event_t *)&ev);
+#define ZMK_EVENT_RELEASE(ev) (ZMK_ASSERT_EVENT_LIKE(ev), zmk_event_manager_release(&(ev).header))
 
 int zmk_event_manager_raise(zmk_event_t *event);
 int zmk_event_manager_raise_after(zmk_event_t *event, const struct zmk_listener *listener);
diff --git a/app/include/zmk/events/keycode_state_changed.h b/app/include/zmk/events/keycode_state_changed.h
index 20a46351552..60ffcfc89e2 100644
--- a/app/include/zmk/events/keycode_state_changed.h
+++ b/app/include/zmk/events/keycode_state_changed.h
@@ -45,3 +45,9 @@ zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(uint32_t encoded, bool pressed, int64_t t
                                               .state = pressed,
                                               .timestamp = timestamp};
 }
+
+static inline int raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(uint32_t encoded, bool pressed,
+                                                               int64_t timestamp) {
+    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed(
+        zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(encoded, pressed, timestamp));
+}
diff --git a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_press.c b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_press.c
index f516122ed96..5374e6dd158 100644
--- a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_press.c
+++ b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_press.c
@@ -21,15 +21,13 @@ static int behavior_key_press_init(const struct device *dev) { return 0; };
 static int on_keymap_binding_pressed(struct zmk_behavior_binding *binding,
                                      struct zmk_behavior_binding_event event) {
     LOG_DBG("position %d keycode 0x%02X", event.position, binding->param1);
-    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed(
-        zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, true, event.timestamp));
+    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, true, event.timestamp);
 }
 
 static int on_keymap_binding_released(struct zmk_behavior_binding *binding,
                                       struct zmk_behavior_binding_event event) {
     LOG_DBG("position %d keycode 0x%02X", event.position, binding->param1);
-    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed(
-        zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, false, event.timestamp));
+    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, false, event.timestamp);
 }
 
 static const struct behavior_driver_api behavior_key_press_driver_api = {
diff --git a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_toggle.c b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_toggle.c
index a4bfafb4047..db77f81412a 100644
--- a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_toggle.c
+++ b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_key_toggle.c
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ static int on_keymap_binding_pressed(struct zmk_behavior_binding *binding,
                                      struct zmk_behavior_binding_event event) {
     LOG_DBG("position %d keycode 0x%02X", event.position, binding->param1);
     bool pressed = zmk_hid_is_pressed(binding->param1);
-    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed(
-        zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, !pressed, event.timestamp));
+    return raise_zmk_keycode_state_changed_from_encoded(binding->param1, !pressed, event.timestamp);
 }
 
 static int on_keymap_binding_released(struct zmk_behavior_binding *binding,
diff --git a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_sticky_key.c b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_sticky_key.c
index 86a0783ef7a..aabb017eaa1 100644
--- a/app/src/behaviors/behavior_sticky_key.c
+++ b/app/src/behaviors/behavior_sticky_key.c
@@ -236,8 +236,8 @@ static int sticky_key_keycode_state_changed_listener(const zmk_event_t *eh) {
                 if (sticky_key->config->quick_release) {
                     // immediately release the sticky key after the key press is handled.
                     if (!event_reraised) {
-                        struct zmk_keycode_state_changed_event dupe_ev;
-                        memcpy(&dupe_ev, eh, sizeof(struct zmk_keycode_state_changed_event));
+                        struct zmk_keycode_state_changed_event dupe_ev =
+                            copy_raised_zmk_keycode_state_changed(ev);
                         ZMK_EVENT_RAISE_AFTER(dupe_ev, behavior_sticky_key);
                         event_reraised = true;
                     }
diff --git a/app/src/combo.c b/app/src/combo.c
index 2ccc1051f00..5003d7f957a 100644
--- a/app/src/combo.c
+++ b/app/src/combo.c
@@ -274,14 +274,14 @@ static int release_pressed_keys() {
     uint32_t count = pressed_keys_count;
     pressed_keys_count = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-        struct zmk_position_state_changed_event ev = pressed_keys[i];
+        struct zmk_position_state_changed_event *ev = &pressed_keys[i];
         if (i == 0) {
-            LOG_DBG("combo: releasing position event %d", ev.data.position);
-            ZMK_EVENT_RELEASE(ev)
+            LOG_DBG("combo: releasing position event %d", ev->data.position);
+            ZMK_EVENT_RELEASE(*ev);
         } else {
             // reprocess events (see tests/combo/fully-overlapping-combos-3 for why this is needed)
-            LOG_DBG("combo: reraising position event %d", ev.data.position);
-            ZMK_EVENT_RAISE(ev);
+            LOG_DBG("combo: reraising position event %d", ev->data.position);
+            ZMK_EVENT_RAISE(*ev);
         }
     }