diff --git a/server/include/list.h b/server/include/list.h
index f1611cc00..ce9f201be 100644
--- a/server/include/list.h
+++ b/server/include/list.h
@@ -67,8 +67,15 @@ void list_push(struct list *l, void *p);
  */
 void * list_lookup(struct list *l, const char *name);
 
+/** Return the first element of the list for which cmp returns zero */
 void * list_search(struct list *l, cmp_cb_t cmp, void *ctx);
 
+/** Returns the number of occurences for which cmp returns zero when called on all list elements. */
+int list_count(struct list *l, cmp_cb_t cmp, void *ctx);
+
+/** Return 0 if list contains pointer p */
+int list_contains(struct list *l, void *p);
+
 /** Sort the list using the quicksort algorithm of libc */
 void list_sort(struct list *l, cmp_cb_t cmp);
 
diff --git a/server/include/node.h b/server/include/node.h
index 8531c9f1f..3d324fa2b 100644
--- a/server/include/node.h
+++ b/server/include/node.h
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ extern struct list node_types;
 struct node_type {
 	/** The unique name of this node. This must be allways the first member! */
 	const char *name;
+	/** A list of all existing nodes of this type. */
+	struct list instances;
 
 	enum {
 		BSD_SOCKET,		/**< BSD Socket API */
@@ -164,7 +166,6 @@ struct node
 	const char *name;	/**< A short identifier of the node, only used for configuration and logging */
 	char *_print;		/**< A string used to print to screen. */
 
-	int refcnt;		/**< How many paths  are sending / receiving from this node? */
 	int combine;		/**< Number of messages to send / recv at once (scatter / gather) */
 	int affinity;		/**< CPU Affinity of this node */
 
diff --git a/server/include/path.h b/server/include/path.h
index c536481a5..c7b81d60d 100644
--- a/server/include/path.h
+++ b/server/include/path.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct path
 	struct list destinations;	/**< List of all outgoing nodes */
 	struct list hooks;		/**< List of function pointers to hooks */
 
+	int enabled;			/**< Is this path enabled */
 	int tfd;			/**< Timer file descriptor for fixed rate sending */
 	double rate;			/**< Send messages with a fixed rate over this path */
 	
diff --git a/server/src/cfg.c b/server/src/cfg.c
index d8727234a..2966c5b25 100644
--- a/server/src/cfg.c
+++ b/server/src/cfg.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 {
 	config_setting_t *cfg_out, *cfg_hook;
 	const char *in;
-	int enabled, reverse;
+	int reverse;
 
 	struct path *p = path_create();
 
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	/* Initialize hooks and their private data / parameters */
 	path_run_hook(p, HOOK_INIT);
 
-	if (!config_setting_lookup_bool(cfg, "enabled", &enabled))
-		enabled = 1;
+	if (!config_setting_lookup_bool(cfg, "enabled", &p->enabled))
+		p->enabled = 1;
 	if (!config_setting_lookup_bool(cfg, "reverse", &reverse))
 		reverse = 0;
 	if (!config_setting_lookup_float(cfg, "rate", &p->rate))
@@ -143,52 +143,31 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 
 	p->cfg = cfg;
 
-	if (enabled) {
-		p->in->refcnt++;
-		p->in->_vt->refcnt++;
+	list_push(paths, p);
 
-		list_foreach(struct node *node, &p->destinations) {
-			node->refcnt++;
-			node->_vt->refcnt++;
-		}
-		
-		list_push(paths, p);
+	if (reverse) {
+		if (list_length(&p->destinations) > 1)
+			error("Can't reverse path with multiple destination nodes");
 
-		if (reverse) {
-			if (list_length(&p->destinations) > 1)
-				error("Can't reverse path with multiple destination nodes");
+		struct path *r = path_create();
 
-			struct path *r = path_create();
-
-			/* Swap in/out */
-			r->in  = p->out;
-			r->out = p->in;
+		/* Swap in/out */
+		r->in  = p->out;
+		r->out = p->in;
 			
-			list_push(&r->destinations, r->out);
+		list_push(&r->destinations, r->out);
 			
-			/* Increment reference counters */
-			r->in->refcnt++;
-			r->in->_vt->refcnt++;
-			r->out->refcnt++;
-			r->out->_vt->refcnt++;
+		if (cfg_hook)
+			config_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &r->hooks);
 			
-			if (cfg_hook)
-				config_parse_hooklist(cfg_hook, &r->hooks);
+		/* Initialize hooks and their private data / parameters */
+		path_run_hook(r, HOOK_INIT);
 			
-			/* Initialize hooks and their private data / parameters */
-			path_run_hook(r, HOOK_INIT);
-			
-			r->rate = p->rate;
-			r->poolsize = p->poolsize;
-			r->msgsize = p->msgsize;
+		r->rate = p->rate;
+		r->poolsize = p->poolsize;
+		r->msgsize = p->msgsize;
 
-			list_push(paths, r);
-		}
-	}
-	else {
-		warn("Path %s is not enabled", path_print(p));
-
-		path_destroy(p);
+		list_push(paths, r);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/server/src/list.c b/server/src/list.c
index e06bd4268..84fd4a252 100644
--- a/server/src/list.c
+++ b/server/src/list.c
@@ -72,6 +72,32 @@ void * list_lookup(struct list *l, const char *name)
 	return list_search(l, cmp, (void *) name);
 }
 
+int list_count(struct list *l, cmp_cb_t cmp, void *ctx)
+{
+	int c = 0;
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&l->lock);
+	
+	void *e;
+	list_foreach(e, l) {
+		if (!cmp(e, ctx))
+			c++;
+	}
+
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&l->lock);
+
+	return c;
+}
+
+int list_contains(struct list *l, void *p)
+{
+	int cmp(const void *a, const void *b) {
+		return a == b;
+	}
+	
+	return list_count(l, cmp, p);
+}
+
 void * list_search(struct list *l, cmp_cb_t cmp, void *ctx)
 {
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&l->lock);
diff --git a/server/src/node.c b/server/src/node.c
index 714c8710c..8c360ebb0 100644
--- a/server/src/node.c
+++ b/server/src/node.c
@@ -36,10 +36,14 @@ struct list node_types = LIST_INIT(NULL);
 int node_init(int argc, char *argv[], struct settings *set)
 { INDENT
 	list_foreach(const struct node_type *vt, &node_types) {
-		if (vt->refcnt) {
+		if (list_length(&vt->instances) > 0) {
 			info("Initializing '%s' node type", vt->name);
-			vt->init(argc, argv, set);
+			
+			if (vt->init)
+				vt->init(argc, argv, set);
 		}
+		else
+			warn("No node is using the '%s' type. Skipping...", vt->name);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ int node_deinit()
 { INDENT
 	/* De-initialize node types */
 	list_foreach(const struct node_type *vt, &node_types) {
-		if (vt->refcnt) {
+		if (list_length(&vt->instances) > 0) {
 			info("De-initializing '%s' node type", vt->name);
 			vt->deinit();
 		}
@@ -60,12 +64,7 @@ int node_deinit()
 
 int node_start(struct node *n)
 { INDENT
-	if (!n->refcnt) {
-		warn("Node '%s' is unused. Skipping...", n->name);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	debug(1, "Starting node '%s' of type '%s' (%s)", n->name, n->_vt->name, node_print(n));
+	info("Starting node '%s' of type '%s' (%s)", n->name, n->_vt->name, node_print(n));
 
 	{ INDENT
 		return node_open(n);
@@ -74,18 +73,11 @@ int node_start(struct node *n)
 
 int node_stop(struct node *n)
 { INDENT
-	int ret;
-	
-	if (!n->refcnt) /* Unused and not started. No reason to stop.. */
-		return -1;
-	
 	info("Stopping node '%s'", n->name);
 
 	{ INDENT
-		ret = node_close(n);
+		return node_close(n);
 	}
-
-	return ret;
 }
 
 char * node_print(struct node *n)
@@ -115,6 +107,8 @@ struct node * node_create(struct node_type *vt)
 {
 	struct node *n = alloc(sizeof(struct node));
 	
+	list_push(&vt->instances, n);
+	
 	n->_vt = vt;
 	
 	return n;
diff --git a/server/src/opal.c b/server/src/opal.c
index a7e90a094..29c03ad77 100644
--- a/server/src/opal.c
+++ b/server/src/opal.c
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@
 /** Global OPAL specific settings */
 static struct opal_global *og = NULL;
 
-/** List of all opal nodes */
-static struct list opals;
-
 int opal_init(int argc, char *argv[], struct settings *set)
 { INDENT
 	int err;
@@ -142,8 +139,6 @@ int opal_parse(config_setting_t *cfg, struct node *n)
 	n->opal = o;
 	n->cfg = cfg;
 
-	list_push(&opals, o);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/receive.c b/server/src/receive.c
index 7ba8a33fd..26d96dddb 100644
--- a/server/src/receive.c
+++ b/server/src/receive.c
@@ -101,9 +101,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (reverse)
 		node_reverse(node);
 
-	node->refcnt++;
-	node->_vt->refcnt++;
-
 	node_init(argc-optind, argv+optind, &set);
 	node_start(node);
 
diff --git a/server/src/send.c b/server/src/send.c
index 501087442..977484c65 100644
--- a/server/src/send.c
+++ b/server/src/send.c
@@ -101,9 +101,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (reverse)
 		node_reverse(node);
 
-	node->refcnt++;
-	node->_vt->refcnt++;
-
 	info("Initialize node types");
 	node_init(argc-optind, argv+optind, &set);
 
diff --git a/server/src/server.c b/server/src/server.c
index 16e136714..8b7d09719 100644
--- a/server/src/server.c
+++ b/server/src/server.c
@@ -180,12 +180,25 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	node_init(argc, argv, &settings);
 
 	info("Starting nodes");
-	list_foreach(struct node *n, &nodes)
-		node_start(n);
+	list_foreach(struct node *n, &nodes) {
+		int used_by_path(struct path *p, struct node *n) {
+			return (p->in == n) || list_contains(&p->destinations, n);
+		}
+	
+		int refs = list_count(&paths, (cmp_cb_t) used_by_path, n);
+		if (refs)
+			node_start(n);
+		else
+			warn("Node '%s' is unused. Skipping...", n->name);
+	}
 
 	info("Starting paths");
-	list_foreach(struct path *p, &paths)
-		path_start(p);
+	list_foreach(struct path *p, &paths) {
+		if (p->enabled)
+			path_start(p);
+		else
+			warn("Path %s is disabled. Skipping...", path_print(p));
+	}
 
 	/* Run! */
 	if (settings.stats > 0) {
diff --git a/server/src/socket.c b/server/src/socket.c
index 45f5696b4..76f88de93 100644
--- a/server/src/socket.c
+++ b/server/src/socket.c
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
 /** Linked list of interfaces */
 extern struct list interfaces;
 
-/** Linked list of all sockets nodes */
-static struct list sockets;
 
 int socket_init(int argc, char * argv[], struct settings *set)
 { INDENT
@@ -47,7 +45,8 @@ int socket_init(int argc, char * argv[], struct settings *set)
 	list_init(&interfaces, (dtor_cb_t) if_destroy);
 
 	/* Gather list of used network interfaces */
-	list_foreach(struct socket *s, &sockets) {
+	list_foreach(struct node *n, &vt.instances) {
+		struct socket *s = n->socket;
 		struct rtnl_link *link;
 
 		/* Determine outgoing interface */
@@ -317,8 +316,6 @@ int socket_parse(config_setting_t *cfg, struct node *n)
 
 	n->socket = s;
 
-	list_push(&sockets, s);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/test.c b/server/src/test.c
index a64098100..d70d3a2b0 100644
--- a/server/src/test.c
+++ b/server/src/test.c
@@ -96,9 +96,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (!node)
 		error("There's no node with the name '%s'", argv[3]);
 
-	node->refcnt++;
-	node->_vt->refcnt++;
-
 	node_init(argc-3, argv+3, &settings);
 	node_start(node);