diff --git a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPass.php b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPass.php
index ad406eb6a3d9..4a152f575e62 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPass.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPass.php
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ public function process(ContainerBuilder $container)
         $definition = $container->getDefinition('event_dispatcher');
 
         foreach ($container->findTaggedServiceIds('kernel.event_listener') as $id => $events) {
+            $def = $container->getDefinition($id);
+            if (!$def->isPublic()) {
+                throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('The service "%s" must be public as event listeners are lazy-loaded.', $id));
+            }
+
             foreach ($events as $event) {
                 $priority = isset($event['priority']) ? $event['priority'] : 0;
 
@@ -45,8 +50,13 @@ public function process(ContainerBuilder $container)
         }
 
         foreach ($container->findTaggedServiceIds('kernel.event_subscriber') as $id => $attributes) {
+            $def = $container->getDefinition($id);
+            if (!$def->isPublic()) {
+                throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('The service "%s" must be public as event subscribers are lazy-loaded.', $id));
+            }
+
             // We must assume that the class value has been correctly filled, even if the service is created by a factory
-            $class = $container->getDefinition($id)->getClass();
+            $class = $def->getClass();
 
             $refClass = new \ReflectionClass($class);
             $interface = 'Symfony\Component\EventDispatcher\EventSubscriberInterface';
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPassTest.php b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPassTest.php
index 670052fe1b3a..a0bbcdc3d86b 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPassTest.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/DependencyInjection/Compiler/RegisterKernelListenersPassTest.php
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ public function testEventSubscriberWithoutInterface()
         );
 
         $definition = $this->getMock('Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Definition');
+        $definition->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
+            ->method('isPublic')
+            ->will($this->returnValue(true));
         $definition->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
             ->method('getClass')
             ->will($this->returnValue('stdClass'));
@@ -60,6 +63,9 @@ public function testValidEventSubscriber()
         );
 
         $definition = $this->getMock('Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Definition');
+        $definition->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
+            ->method('isPublic')
+            ->will($this->returnValue(true));
         $definition->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
             ->method('getClass')
             ->will($this->returnValue('Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Tests\DependencyInjection\Compiler\SubscriberService'));
@@ -81,6 +87,34 @@ public function testValidEventSubscriber()
         $registerListenersPass = new RegisterKernelListenersPass();
         $registerListenersPass->process($builder);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \InvalidArgumentException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage The service "foo" must be public as event listeners are lazy-loaded.
+     */
+    public function testPrivateEventListener()
+    {
+        $container = new ContainerBuilder();
+        $container->register('foo', 'stdClass')->setPublic(false)->addTag('kernel.event_listener', array());
+        $container->register('event_dispatcher', 'stdClass');
+
+        $registerListenersPass = new RegisterKernelListenersPass();
+        $registerListenersPass->process($container);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \InvalidArgumentException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage The service "foo" must be public as event subscribers are lazy-loaded.
+     */
+    public function testPrivateEventSubscriber()
+    {
+        $container = new ContainerBuilder();
+        $container->register('foo', 'stdClass')->setPublic(false)->addTag('kernel.event_subscriber', array());
+        $container->register('event_dispatcher', 'stdClass');
+
+        $registerListenersPass = new RegisterKernelListenersPass();
+        $registerListenersPass->process($container);
+    }
 }
 
 class SubscriberService implements \Symfony\Component\EventDispatcher\EventSubscriberInterface