diff --git a/include/villas/api.h b/include/villas/api.h
index 2258d7b90..9ae344e42 100644
--- a/include/villas/api.h
+++ b/include/villas/api.h
@@ -83,8 +83,6 @@ struct api_session {
  * Every command is described by a descriptor.
  */
 struct api_ressource {
-	char *name;
-	char *description;
 	api_cb_t cb;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/villas/hook.h b/include/villas/hook.h
index b8bb822d9..3f121b81b 100644
--- a/include/villas/hook.h
+++ b/include/villas/hook.h
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ enum hook_type {
 
 /** Descriptor for user defined hooks. See hooks[]. */
 struct hook {
-	const char *name;	/**< The unique name of this hook. This must be the first member! */
 	const char *parameter;	/**< A parameter string for this hook. Can be used to configure the hook behaviour. */
-	const char *description;/**< A short description of this hook function. */
 
 	int priority;		/**< A priority to change the order of execution within one type of hook */
 	int history;		/**< How many samples of history this hook requires. */
diff --git a/include/villas/node_type.h b/include/villas/node_type.h
index 277380f13..94d23072b 100644
--- a/include/villas/node_type.h
+++ b/include/villas/node_type.h
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ struct sample;
 
 /** C++ like vtable construct for node_types */
 struct node_type {
-	const char *name;		/**< The unique name of this node. This must be allways the first member! */
-	const char *description;	/**< A short description of this node type. Will be shown in help text. */
 	int vectorize;			/**< Maximal vector length supported by this node type. Zero is unlimited. */
 
 	struct list instances;		/**< A list of all existing nodes of this type. */
diff --git a/include/villas/plugin.h b/include/villas/plugin.h
index 5b14a466d..dded61cd1 100644
--- a/include/villas/plugin.h
+++ b/include/villas/plugin.h
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ struct plugin {
 	};
 };
 
+/** Return a pointer to the plugin structure */
+#define plugin(vt) ((struct plugin *) ((char *) (vt) - offsetof(struct plugin, api)))
+
+#define plugin_name(vt) plugin(vt)->name
+#define plugin_description(vt) plugin(vt)->description
+
 int plugin_init(struct plugin *p, char *name, char *path);
 
 int plugin_destroy(struct plugin *p);
diff --git a/lib/hook.c b/lib/hook.c
index 5a2d86e47..2d24369c5 100644
--- a/lib/hook.c
+++ b/lib/hook.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int hook_run(struct path *p, struct sample *smps[], size_t cnt, int when)
 		if (h->type & when) {
 			cnt = h->cb(h, when, &i);
 			
-			debug(LOG_HOOK | 22, "Ran hook '%s' when=%u prio=%u, cnt=%zu", h->name, when, h->priority, cnt);
+			debug(LOG_HOOK | 22, "Ran hook '%s' when=%u prio=%u, cnt=%zu", plugin_name(h), when, h->priority, cnt);
 			
 			if (cnt == 0)
 				break;
diff --git a/lib/hooks/convert.c b/lib/hooks/convert.c
index 7ae6ed487..4b4a4a645 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/convert.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/convert.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static int hook_convert(struct hook *h, int when, struct hook_info *k)
 	switch (when) {
 		case HOOK_PARSE:
 			if (!h->parameter)
-				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", h->name);
+				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", plugin_name(h));
 
 			if      (!strcmp(h->parameter, "fixed"))
 				private->mode = TO_FIXED;
diff --git a/lib/hooks/decimate.c b/lib/hooks/decimate.c
index c9efb5eb1..1accd40f9 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/decimate.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/decimate.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static int hook_decimate(struct hook *h, int when, struct hook_info *j)
 	switch (when) {
 		case HOOK_PARSE:
 			if (!h->parameter)
-				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", h->name);
+				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", plugin_name(h));
 	
 			private->ratio = strtol(h->parameter, NULL, 10);
 			if (!private->ratio)
diff --git a/lib/hooks/skip_first.c b/lib/hooks/skip_first.c
index 84998ce67..0e9ab9c83 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/skip_first.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/skip_first.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ static int hook_skip_first(struct hook *h, int when, struct hook_info *j)
 	switch (when) {
 		case HOOK_PARSE:
 			if (!h->parameter)
-				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", h->name);
+				error("Missing parameter for hook: '%s'", plugin_name(h));
 
 			wait = strtof(h->parameter, &endptr);
 			if (h->parameter == endptr)
diff --git a/lib/hooks/stats.c b/lib/hooks/stats.c
index 643fa5ea0..770ba7c2f 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/stats.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/stats.c
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ static int hook_stats_send(struct hook *h, int when, struct hook_info *j)
 			assert(j->path);
 		
 			if (!h->parameter)
-				error("Missing parameter for hook '%s'", h->name);
+				error("Missing parameter for hook '%s'", plugin_name(h));
 			
 			private->dest = list_lookup(j->nodes, h->parameter);
 			if (!private->dest)
-				error("Invalid destination node '%s' for hook '%s'", h->parameter, h->name);
+				error("Invalid destination node '%s' for hook '%s'", h->parameter, plugin_name(h));
 			break;
 			
 		case HOOK_PATH_START:
diff --git a/lib/node.c b/lib/node.c
index 9b06c076d..de1adbe70 100644
--- a/lib/node.c
+++ b/lib/node.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ int node_stop(struct node *n)
 char * node_name(struct node *n)
 {
 	if (!n->_name)
-		strcatf(&n->_name, RED("%s") "(" YEL("%s") ")", n->name, n->_vt->name);
+		strcatf(&n->_name, RED("%s") "(" YEL("%s") ")", n->name, plugin_name(n->_vt));
 		
 	return n->_name;
 }
diff --git a/lib/node_type.c b/lib/node_type.c
index 9e6a329a8..dd1ca868c 100644
--- a/lib/node_type.c
+++ b/lib/node_type.c
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ int node_type_init(struct node_type *vt, int argc, char *argv[], config_setting_
 	if (vt->state != NODE_TYPE_DEINITIALIZED)
 		return -1;
 
-	info("Initializing " YEL("%s") " node type", vt->name);
+	info("Initializing " YEL("%s") " node type", plugin_name(vt));
 	{ INDENT
-		ret = vt->init ? vt->init(argc, argv, cfg) : -1;
+		ret = vt->init ? vt->init(argc, argv, cfg) : 0;
 	}	
 
 	if (ret == 0)
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ int node_type_deinit(struct node_type *vt)
 	if (vt->state != NODE_TYPE_INITIALIZED)
 		return -1;
 
-	info("De-initializing " YEL("%s") " node type", vt->name);
+	info("De-initializing " YEL("%s") " node type", plugin_name(vt));
 	{ INDENT
 		ret = vt->deinit ? vt->deinit() : -1;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/nodes/file.c b/lib/nodes/file.c
index bc175aa59..0789e4b48 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/file.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/file.c
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ static struct plugin p = {
 		.open		= file_open,
 		.close		= file_close,
 		.read		= file_read,
-		.write		= file_write
+		.write		= file_write,
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index a167f41a7..758961e93 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ int path_init(struct path *p, struct cfg *cfg)
 			struct hook *h = &pl->hook;
 
 			if ((h->type & HOOK_AUTO) && 			/* should this hook be added implicitely? */
-			    (list_lookup(&p->hooks, h->name) == NULL))	/* is not already in list? */
+			    (list_lookup(&p->hooks, pl->name) == NULL))	/* is not already in list? */
 				list_push(&p->hooks, memdup(h, sizeof(struct hook)));
 		}
 	}