diff --git a/src/Event/Event.php b/src/Event/Event.php
index 62f206290a1..5e0495806d7 100644
--- a/src/Event/Event.php
+++ b/src/Event/Event.php
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ class Event
      *
      * @param string $name Name of the event
      * @param object|null $subject the object that this event applies to (usually the object that is generating the event)
-     * @param array|null $data any value you wish to be transported with this event to it can be read by listeners
+     * @param array|\ArrayAccess|null $data any value you wish to be transported with this event to it can be read by listeners
      */
-    public function __construct($name, $subject = null, array $data = null)
+    public function __construct($name, $subject = null, $data = null)
     {
         $this->_name = $name;
         $this->_data = (array)$data;
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Event/EventTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Event/EventTest.php
index bfdf3370233..05bd9414314 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/Event/EventTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/Event/EventTest.php
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 namespace Cake\Test\TestCase\Event;
 
+use ArrayObject;
 use Cake\Event\Event;
 use Cake\TestSuite\TestCase;
 
@@ -87,6 +88,23 @@ public function testEventData()
         $this->assertNull($event->getData('undef'));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Tests that it is possible to get/set custom data in a event
+     *
+     * @return void
+     * @triggers fake.event $this, array('some' => 'data')
+     */
+    public function testEventDataObject()
+    {
+        $data = new ArrayObject(['some' => 'data']);
+        $event = new Event('fake.event', $this, $data);
+        $this->assertEquals(['some' => 'data'], $event->data());
+        $this->assertEquals(['some' => 'data'], $event->getData());
+
+        $this->assertEquals('data', $event->getData('some'));
+        $this->assertNull($event->getData('undef'));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Tests that it is possible to get the name and subject directly
      *