diff --git a/nomad/fsm_test.go b/nomad/fsm_test.go
index a1c3d5e57ace..8b6511a29b82 100644
--- a/nomad/fsm_test.go
+++ b/nomad/fsm_test.go
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ func TestFSM_ApplyNodeEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	nodeEvent := &structs.NodeEvent{
-		Message:   "Registration failed",
-		Subsystem: "Server",
+		Message:   "Heartbeating failed",
+		Subsystem: "Heartbeat",
 		Timestamp: time.Now().Unix(),
 	}
 
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ func TestFSM_ApplyNodeEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	actualNode, err := state.NodeByID(ws, node.ID)
 	require.Nil(err)
 
-	require.Equal(1, len(actualNode.NodeEvents))
+	require.Equal(2, len(actualNode.NodeEvents))
 
-	first := actualNode.NodeEvents[0]
+	first := node.NodeEvents[1]
 	require.Equal(uint64(1), first.CreateIndex)
 	require.Equal("Registration failed", first.Message)
 }
diff --git a/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go b/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
index f817dbc832b1..37d4d05cc3ff 100644
--- a/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
@@ -83,10 +83,16 @@ func TestClientEndpoint_EmitEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	require := require.New(t)
 
 	s1 := TestServer(t, nil)
+	state := s1.fsm.State()
 	defer s1.Shutdown()
 	codec := rpcClient(t, s1)
 	testutil.WaitForLeader(t, s1.RPC)
 
+	// create a node that we can register our event to
+	node := mock.Node()
+	err := state.UpsertNode(2, node)
+	require.Nil(err)
+
 	nodeEvent := &structs.NodeEvent{
 		Message:   "Registration failed",
 		Subsystem: "Server",
@@ -99,7 +105,7 @@ func TestClientEndpoint_EmitEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	var resp structs.GenericResponse
-	err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Node.EmitEvent", &req, &resp)
+	err = msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Node.EmitEvent", &req, &resp)
 	require.Nil(err)
 	require.NotEqual(0, resp.Index)
 }
diff --git a/nomad/structs/events.go b/nomad/structs/events.go
index bc3a25539631..3457f41028b3 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/events.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/events.go
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ package structs
 type Subsystem string
 
 const (
-	Drain        Subsystem = "Drain"
-	Driver       Subsystem = "Driver"
-	Heartbeating Subsystem = "Heartbeating"
-	Server       Subsystem = "Server"
+	Drain     Subsystem = "Drain"
+	Driver    Subsystem = "Driver"
+	Heartbeat Subsystem = "Heartbeat"
+	Server    Subsystem = "Server"
+	Cluster   Subsystem = "Cluster"
 )
 
 // NodeEvent is a single unit representing a node’s state change
 type NodeEvent struct {
-	NodeID  string
-	Message string
-	Subsystem
+	Message   string
+	Subsystem Subsystem
 	Details   map[string]string
 	Timestamp int64
 
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@ type EmitNodeEventRequest struct {
 // the node event source update.
 type EmitNodeEventResponse struct {
 	Index uint64
-	WriteRequest
+	WriteMeta
 }