diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ecaf575..b4f432b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -75,10 +75,9 @@ The following example code demonstrates how this library can be used to send a
 plaintext HTTP request to google.com through a remote SSH server:
 
 ```php
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false
 ));
@@ -92,8 +91,6 @@ $connector->connect('tcp://google.com:80')->then(function (React\Socket\Connecti
         echo '[DONE]';
     });
 }, 'printf');
-
-$loop->run();
 ```
 
 See also the [examples](examples).
@@ -121,17 +118,22 @@ systems, you may simply install it like this:
 $ sudo apt install openssh-client
 ```
 
-Its constructor simply accepts an SSH proxy server URL and a loop to bind to:
+Its constructor simply accepts an SSH proxy server URL:
 
 ```php
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 ```
 
 The proxy URL may or may not contain a scheme and port definition. The default
 port will be `22` for SSH, but you may have to use a custom port depending on
 your SSH server setup.
 
+This class takes an optional `LoopInterface|null $loop` parameter that can be used to
+pass the event loop instance to use for this object. You can use a `null` value
+here in order to use the [default loop](https://github.com/reactphp/event-loop#loop).
+This value SHOULD NOT be given unless you're sure you want to explicitly use a
+given event loop instance.
+
 Keep in mind that this class is implemented as a lightweight process wrapper
 around the `ssh` client binary and that it will spawn one `ssh` process for each
 connection. If you open more connections, it will spawn one `ssh` process for
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ higher-level component:
 
 ```diff
 - $acme = new AcmeApi($connector);
-+ $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
++ $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 + $acme = new AcmeApi($proxy);
 ```
 
@@ -189,17 +191,22 @@ simply install it like this:
 $ sudo apt install openssh-client
 ```
 
-Its constructor simply accepts an SSH proxy server URL and a loop to bind to:
+Its constructor simply accepts an SSH proxy server URL:
 
 ```php
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 ```
 
 The proxy URL may or may not contain a scheme and port definition. The default
 port will be `22` for SSH, but you may have to use a custom port depending on
 your SSH server setup.
 
+This class takes an optional `LoopInterface|null $loop` parameter that can be used to
+pass the event loop instance to use for this object. You can use a `null` value
+here in order to use the [default loop](https://github.com/reactphp/event-loop#loop).
+This value SHOULD NOT be given unless you're sure you want to explicitly use a
+given event loop instance.
+
 Keep in mind that this class is implemented as a lightweight process wrapper
 around the `ssh` client binary and that it will spawn one `ssh` process for
 multiple connections. This process will take some time to create a new SSH
@@ -216,7 +223,7 @@ to use multiple instances of this class to connect to different SSH proxy
 servers, you may optionally pass a unique bind address like this:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com?bind=127.1.1.1:1081', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com?bind=127.1.1.1:1081',);
 ```
 
 > *Security note for multi-user systems*: This class will spawn the SSH client
@@ -244,7 +251,7 @@ higher-level component:
 
 ```diff
 - $acme = new AcmeApi($connector);
-+ $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
++ $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 + $acme = new AcmeApi($proxy);
 ```
 
@@ -260,9 +267,9 @@ a streaming plain TCP/IP connection on the `SshProcessConnector` or `SshSocksCon
 and use any higher level protocol like so:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
 $proxy->connect('tcp://smtp.googlemail.com:587')->then(function (React\Socket\ConnectionInterface $connection) {
     $connection->write("EHLO local\r\n");
@@ -276,11 +283,11 @@ You can either use the `SshProcessConnector` or `SshSocksConnector` directly or
 may want to wrap this connector in ReactPHP's [`Connector`](https://github.com/reactphp/socket#connector):
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false
 ));
@@ -309,9 +316,9 @@ ReactPHP's [`Connector`](https://github.com/reactphp/socket#connector) or the
 low-level [`SecureConnector`](https://github.com/reactphp/socket#secureconnector):
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false
 ));
@@ -341,14 +348,14 @@ In order to send HTTP requests, you first have to add a dependency for
 This allows you to send both plain HTTP and TLS-encrypted HTTPS requests like this:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false
 ));
 
-$browser = new React\Http\Browser($loop, $connector);
+$browser = new React\Http\Browser(null, $connector);
 
 $browser->get('https://example.com/')->then(function (Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface $response) {
     var_dump($response->getHeaders(), (string) $response->getBody());
@@ -378,11 +385,10 @@ the above SSH proxy server setup, so we can access a firewalled MySQL database
 server through an SSH tunnel. Here's the gist:
 
 ```php
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 
 $uri = 'test:test@localhost/test';
-$factory = new React\MySQL\Factory($loop, $proxy);
+$factory = new React\MySQL\Factory(null, $proxy);
 $connection = $factory->createLazyConnection($uri);
 
 $connection->query('SELECT * FROM book')->then(
@@ -395,8 +401,6 @@ $connection->query('SELECT * FROM book')->then(
 );
 
 $connection->quit();
-
-$loop->run();
 ```
 
 See also [example #21](examples) for more details.
@@ -427,11 +431,11 @@ It provides the same `connect()` method, but will automatically reject the
 underlying connection attempt if it takes too long:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false,
     'timeout' => 3.0
@@ -473,11 +477,11 @@ Given that remote DNS resolution is assumed to be the preferred mode, all
 other examples explicitly disable DNS resolution like this:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => false
 ));
@@ -486,12 +490,12 @@ $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
 If you want to explicitly use *local DNS resolution*, you can use the following code:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user@example.com');
 
 // set up Connector which uses Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8)
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'dns' => '8.8.8.8'
 ));
@@ -525,9 +529,9 @@ If your SSH proxy server requires password authentication, you may pass the
 username and password as part of the SSH proxy server URL like this:
 
 ```php
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user:pass@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector('user:pass@example.com');
 // or
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user:pass@example.com', $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector('user:pass@example.com');
 ```
 
 For this to work, you will have to have the `sshpass` binary installed. On
@@ -545,8 +549,7 @@ $user = 'he:llo';
 $pass = 'p@ss';
 
 $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(
-    rawurlencode($user) . ':' . rawurlencode($pass) . '@example.com:2222',
-    $loop
+    rawurlencode($user) . ':' . rawurlencode($pass) . '@example.com:2222'
 );
 ```
 
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 9135637..a312692 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@
         "php": ">=5.3",
         "clue/socks-react": "^1.0",
         "react/child-process": "^0.6",
-        "react/event-loop": "^1.0 || ^0.5",
+        "react/event-loop": "^1.2",
         "react/promise": "^2.1 || ^1.2.1",
-        "react/socket": "^1.1",
-        "react/stream": "^1.0 || ^0.7.2"
+        "react/socket": "^1.8",
+        "react/stream": "^1.2"
     },
     "require-dev": {
         "clue/block-react": "^1.3",
         "phpunit/phpunit": "^9.3 || ^5.7 || ^4.8.36",
-        "react/http": "^1.0",
-        "react/mysql": "^0.5.3"
+        "react/http": "^1.4",
+        "react/mysql": "^0.5.5"
     }
 }
diff --git a/examples/01-https-request.php b/examples/01-https-request.php
index 9025d77..7def3b3 100644
--- a/examples/01-https-request.php
+++ b/examples/01-https-request.php
@@ -13,21 +13,18 @@
 
 $url = getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false ? getenv('SSH_PROXY') : 'ssh://localhost:22';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url, $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url);
 
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'timeout' => 3.0,
     'dns' => false
 ));
 
-$browser = new React\Http\Browser($loop, $connector);
+$browser = new React\Http\Browser(null, $connector);
 
 $browser->get('https://example.com/')->then(function (Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface $response) {
     var_dump($response->getHeaders(), (string) $response->getBody());
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/02-optional-proxy-https-request.php b/examples/02-optional-proxy-https-request.php
index 058fef9..d83fc16 100644
--- a/examples/02-optional-proxy-https-request.php
+++ b/examples/02-optional-proxy-https-request.php
@@ -11,26 +11,22 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-
 // SSH_PROXY environment given? use this as the proxy URL
+$connector = null;
 if (getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false) {
-    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'), $loop);
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'));
+
+    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
         'tcp' => $proxy,
         'timeout' => 3.0,
         'dns' => false
     ));
-} else {
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop);
 }
 
-$browser = new React\Http\Browser($loop, $connector);
+$browser = new React\Http\Browser(null, $connector);
 
 $browser->get('https://example.com/')->then(function (Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface $response) {
     var_dump($response->getHeaders(), (string) $response->getBody());
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/11-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php b/examples/11-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
index 52bc885..7964914 100644
--- a/examples/11-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/11-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@
 
 $url = getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false ? getenv('SSH_PROXY') : 'ssh://localhost:22';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url);
 
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url, $loop);
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'timeout' => 3.0,
     'dns' => false
@@ -33,5 +32,3 @@
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php b/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
index 7390c1f..84a78e7 100644
--- a/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-http-protocol.php
@@ -18,18 +18,17 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-
 // SSH_PROXY environment given? use this as the proxy URL
 if (getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false) {
-    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'), $loop);
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'));
+
+    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
         'tcp' => $proxy,
         'timeout' => 3.0,
         'dns' => false
     ));
 } else {
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop);
+    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector();
 }
 
 $connector->connect('tcp://google.com:80')->then(function (React\Socket\ConnectionInterface $connection) {
@@ -40,5 +39,3 @@
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/21-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php b/examples/21-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
index 5cd6774..41028c3 100644
--- a/examples/21-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/21-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@
 
 $url = getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false ? getenv('SSH_PROXY') : 'ssh://localhost:22';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector($url);
 
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshSocksConnector($url, $loop);
-$connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+$connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
     'tcp' => $proxy,
     'timeout' => 3.0,
     'dns' => false
@@ -33,5 +32,3 @@
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/22-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php b/examples/22-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
index 75f2b63..645fc1a 100644
--- a/examples/22-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/22-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
@@ -18,18 +18,17 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-
 // SSH_PROXY environment given? use this as the proxy URL
 if (getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false) {
-    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'), $loop);
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop, array(
+    $proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector(getenv('SSH_PROXY'));
+
+    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector(null, array(
         'tcp' => $proxy,
         'timeout' => 3.0,
         'dns' => false
     ));
 } else {
-    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector($loop);
+    $connector = new React\Socket\Connector();
 }
 
 $connector->connect('tls://google.com:443')->then(function (React\Socket\ConnectionInterface $connection) {
@@ -40,5 +39,3 @@
 }, function (Exception $e) {
     echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage() . PHP_EOL;
 });
-
-$loop->run();
diff --git a/examples/31-mysql-ssh-tunnel.php b/examples/31-mysql-ssh-tunnel.php
index d5f9f8e..63ee54d 100644
--- a/examples/31-mysql-ssh-tunnel.php
+++ b/examples/31-mysql-ssh-tunnel.php
@@ -16,18 +16,15 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
-
 $url = getenv('SSH_PROXY') !== false ? getenv('SSH_PROXY') : 'ssh://localhost:22';
-$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url, $loop);
+$proxy = new Clue\React\SshProxy\SshProcessConnector($url);
 
 $url = getenv('MYSQL_LOGIN') !== false ? getenv('MYSQL_LOGIN') : 'user:pass@localhost';
-$factory = new React\MySQL\Factory($loop, $proxy);
+$factory = new React\MySQL\Factory(null, $proxy);
 $client = $factory->createLazyConnection($url);
 
 $client->query('SELECT * FROM (SELECT "foo" UNION SELECT "bar") data')->then(function (React\MySQL\QueryResult $query) {
     var_dump($query->resultRows);
 }, 'printf');
-$client->quit();
 
-$loop->run();
+$client->quit();
diff --git a/src/SshProcessConnector.php b/src/SshProcessConnector.php
index bf10b0f..389c687 100644
--- a/src/SshProcessConnector.php
+++ b/src/SshProcessConnector.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use Clue\React\SshProxy\Io\CompositeConnection;
 use Clue\React\SshProxy\Io\LineSeparatedReader;
+use React\EventLoop\Loop;
 use React\EventLoop\LoopInterface;
 use React\Promise\Deferred;
 use React\Socket\ConnectorInterface;
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@
 class SshProcessConnector implements ConnectorInterface
 {
     private $cmd;
+
+    /** @var LoopInterface */
     private $loop;
 
     private $debug = false;
@@ -25,11 +28,17 @@ class SshProcessConnector implements ConnectorInterface
      * (which may need to be installed) and this password may leak to the
      * process list if other users have access to your system.
      *
+     * This class takes an optional `LoopInterface|null $loop` parameter that can be used to
+     * pass the event loop instance to use for this object. You can use a `null` value
+     * here in order to use the [default loop](https://github.com/reactphp/event-loop#loop).
+     * This value SHOULD NOT be given unless you're sure you want to explicitly use a
+     * given event loop instance.
+     *
      * @param string $uri
-     * @param LoopInterface $loop
+     * @param ?LoopInterface $loop
      * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
      */
-    public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop)
+    public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop = null)
     {
         // URI must use optional ssh:// scheme, must contain host and neither pass nor target must start with dash
         $parts = \parse_url((\strpos($uri, '://') === false ? 'ssh://' : '') . $uri);
@@ -54,7 +63,7 @@ public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop)
             $this->cmd .= '-p ' . $parts['port'] . ' ';
         }
         $this->cmd .= \escapeshellarg($target);
-        $this->loop = $loop;
+        $this->loop = $loop ?: Loop::get();
     }
 
     public function connect($uri)
diff --git a/src/SshSocksConnector.php b/src/SshSocksConnector.php
index 278c096..886c19c 100644
--- a/src/SshSocksConnector.php
+++ b/src/SshSocksConnector.php
@@ -2,18 +2,21 @@
 
 namespace Clue\React\SshProxy;
 
+use Clue\React\Socks\Client;
 use Clue\React\SshProxy\Io\LineSeparatedReader;
-use React\EventLoop\LoopInterface;
 use React\ChildProcess\Process;
+use React\EventLoop\Loop;
+use React\EventLoop\LoopInterface;
 use React\Promise\Deferred;
 use React\Socket\ConnectorInterface;
-use Clue\React\Socks\Client;
 use React\Socket\TcpConnector;
 use React\Socket\ConnectionInterface;
 
 class SshSocksConnector implements ConnectorInterface
 {
     private $cmd;
+
+    /** @var LoopInterface */
     private $loop;
 
     private $debug = false;
@@ -36,11 +39,17 @@ class SshSocksConnector implements ConnectorInterface
      * (which may need to be installed) and this password may leak to the
      * process list if other users have access to your system.
      *
+     * This class takes an optional `LoopInterface|null $loop` parameter that can be used to
+     * pass the event loop instance to use for this object. You can use a `null` value
+     * here in order to use the [default loop](https://github.com/reactphp/event-loop#loop).
+     * This value SHOULD NOT be given unless you're sure you want to explicitly use a
+     * given event loop instance.
+     *
      * @param string $uri
-     * @param LoopInterface $loop
+     * @param ?LoopInterface $loop
      * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
      */
-    public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop)
+    public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop = null)
     {
         // URI must use optional ssh:// scheme, must contain host and neither pass nor target must start with dash
         $parts = \parse_url((\strpos($uri, '://') === false ? 'ssh://' : '') . $uri);
@@ -75,9 +84,9 @@ public function __construct($uri, LoopInterface $loop)
             $this->bind = $args['bind'];
         }
 
-        $this->socks = new Client('socks4://' . $this->bind, new TcpConnector($loop));
+        $this->loop = $loop ?: Loop::get();
+        $this->socks = new Client('socks4://' . $this->bind, new TcpConnector($this->loop));
         $this->cmd .= '-D ' . \escapeshellarg($this->bind) . ' ' . \escapeshellarg($target);
-        $this->loop = $loop;
     }
 
     public function connect($uri)
diff --git a/tests/SshProcessConnectorTest.php b/tests/SshProcessConnectorTest.php
index 01cdfc9..d3a56d2 100644
--- a/tests/SshProcessConnectorTest.php
+++ b/tests/SshProcessConnectorTest.php
@@ -6,6 +6,17 @@
 
 class SshProcessConnectorTest extends TestCase
 {
+    public function testConstructWithoutLoopAssignsLoopAutomatically()
+    {
+        $connector = new SshProcessConnector('host');
+
+        $ref = new \ReflectionProperty($connector, 'loop');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $loop = $ref->getValue($connector);
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface', $loop);
+    }
+
     public function testConstructorAcceptsUri()
     {
         $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
diff --git a/tests/SshSocksConnectorTest.php b/tests/SshSocksConnectorTest.php
index 2d00f16..62bb548 100644
--- a/tests/SshSocksConnectorTest.php
+++ b/tests/SshSocksConnectorTest.php
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@
 
 class SshSocksConnectorTest extends TestCase
 {
+    public function testConstructWithoutLoopAssignsLoopAutomatically()
+    {
+        $connector = new SshSocksConnector('host');
+
+        $ref = new \ReflectionProperty($connector, 'loop');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $loop = $ref->getValue($connector);
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface', $loop);
+    }
+
     public function testConstructorAcceptsUri()
     {
         $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();