diff --git a/core/network/src/protocol.rs b/core/network/src/protocol.rs
index 476113953b6a0..335c2380c8fce 100644
--- a/core/network/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/core/network/src/protocol.rs
@@ -515,10 +515,6 @@ impl<B: BlockT, S: NetworkSpecialization<B>, H: ExHashT> Protocol<B, S, H> {
 		self.context_data.peers.iter().map(|(id, peer)| (id, &peer.info))
 	}
 
-	pub fn on_event(&mut self, event: Event) {
-		self.specialization.on_event(event);
-	}
-
 	pub fn on_custom_message(
 		&mut self,
 		who: PeerId,
diff --git a/core/network/src/protocol/specialization.rs b/core/network/src/protocol/specialization.rs
index e2c444ea889d6..37509eeec09d4 100644
--- a/core/network/src/protocol/specialization.rs
+++ b/core/network/src/protocol/specialization.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ pub trait NetworkSpecialization<B: BlockT>: Send + Sync + 'static {
 	);
 
 	/// Called when a network-specific event arrives.
-	fn on_event(&mut self, event: Event);
+	#[deprecated(note = "This method is never called; please use `with_dht_event_tx` when building the service")]
+	fn on_event(&mut self, event: Event) {}
 
 	/// Called on abort.
 	#[deprecated(note = "This method is never called; aborting corresponds to dropping the object")]
diff --git a/core/network/src/service.rs b/core/network/src/service.rs
index 48ad51bde31a6..a88c163a691e9 100644
--- a/core/network/src/service.rs
+++ b/core/network/src/service.rs
@@ -480,8 +480,8 @@ impl<B: BlockT + 'static, S: NetworkSpecialization<B>, H: ExHashT> NetworkServic
 
 	/// Start getting a value from the DHT.
 	///
-	/// This will generate either a `ValueFound` or a `ValueNotFound` event and pass it to
-	/// `on_event` on the network specialization.
+	/// This will generate either a `ValueFound` or a `ValueNotFound` event and pass it as an
+	/// item on the [`NetworkWorker`] stream.
 	pub fn get_value(&self, key: &record::Key) {
 		let _ = self
 			.to_worker
@@ -490,8 +490,8 @@ impl<B: BlockT + 'static, S: NetworkSpecialization<B>, H: ExHashT> NetworkServic
 
 	/// Start putting a value in the DHT.
 	///
-	/// This will generate either a `ValuePut` or a `ValuePutFailed` event and pass it to
-	/// `on_event` on the network specialization.
+	/// This will generate either a `ValuePut` or a `ValuePutFailed` event and pass it as an
+	/// item on the [`NetworkWorker`] stream.
 	pub fn put_value(&self, key: record::Key, value: Vec<u8>) {
 		let _ = self
 			.to_worker
@@ -718,12 +718,8 @@ impl<B: BlockT + 'static, S: NetworkSpecialization<B>, H: ExHashT> Stream for Ne
 			let outcome = match poll_value {
 				Ok(Async::NotReady) => break,
 				Ok(Async::Ready(Some(BehaviourOut::SubstrateAction(outcome)))) => outcome,
-				Ok(Async::Ready(Some(BehaviourOut::Dht(ev)))) => {
-					self.network_service.user_protocol_mut()
-						.on_event(Event::Dht(ev.clone()));
-
-					return Ok(Async::Ready(Some(Event::Dht(ev))));
-				},
+				Ok(Async::Ready(Some(BehaviourOut::Dht(ev)))) =>
+					return Ok(Async::Ready(Some(Event::Dht(ev)))),
 				Ok(Async::Ready(None)) => CustomMessageOutcome::None,
 				Err(err) => {
 					error!(target: "sync", "Error in the network: {:?}", err);
diff --git a/core/network/src/test/mod.rs b/core/network/src/test/mod.rs
index 92e747280bbbb..0c50179f10ace 100644
--- a/core/network/src/test/mod.rs
+++ b/core/network/src/test/mod.rs
@@ -124,11 +124,6 @@ impl NetworkSpecialization<Block> for DummySpecialization {
 		_peer_id: PeerId,
 		_message: Vec<u8>,
 	) {}
-
-	fn on_event(
-		&mut self,
-		_event: crate::specialization::Event
-	) {}
 }
 
 pub type PeersFullClient =