diff --git a/include/villas/sample.h b/include/villas/sample.h
index 07c3ca4a5..17fac2f90 100644
--- a/include/villas/sample.h
+++ b/include/villas/sample.h
@@ -111,17 +111,17 @@ void sample_free(struct sample *s);
 
 /** Request \p cnt samples from memory pool \p p and initialize them.
  *  The reference count will already be set to 1.
- *  Use the sample_get() function to increase it. */
+ *  Use the sample_incref() function to increase it. */
 int sample_alloc_many(struct pool *p, struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
 
 /** Release an array of samples back to their pools */
 void sample_free_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
 
 /** Increase reference count of sample */
-int sample_get(struct sample *s);
+int sample_incref(struct sample *s);
 
 /** Decrease reference count and release memory if last reference was held. */
-int sample_put(struct sample *s);
+int sample_decref(struct sample *s);
 
 int sample_copy(struct sample *dst, struct sample *src);
 
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ int sample_cmp(struct sample *a, struct sample *b, double epsilon, int flags);
 
 int sample_clone_many(struct sample *clones[], struct sample *origs[], int cnt);
 int sample_copy_many(struct sample *dsts[], struct sample *srcs[], int cnt);
-int sample_get_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
-int sample_put_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
+int sample_incref_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
+int sample_decref_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
 
 enum signal_format sample_format(const struct sample *s, unsigned idx);
 
diff --git a/include/villas/shmem.h b/include/villas/shmem.h
index a8f5022a8..5ee575b8c 100644
--- a/include/villas/shmem.h
+++ b/include/villas/shmem.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ int shmem_int_close(struct shmem_int *shm);
  *
  * @param shm The shared memory interface.
  * @param smps  An array where the pointers to the samples will be written. The samples
- * must be freed with sample_put after use.
+ * must be freed with sample_decref after use.
  * @param cnt  Number of samples to be read.
  * @retval >=0 Number of samples that were read. Can be less than cnt (including 0) in case not enough samples were available.
  * @retval -1 The other process closed the interface; no samples can be read anymore.
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ int shmem_int_write(struct shmem_int *shm, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt);
 
 /** Allocate samples to be written to the interface.
  *
- * The writing process must not free the samples; only the receiving process should free them using sample_put after use.
+ * The writing process must not free the samples; only the receiving process should free them using sample_decref after use.
  * @param shm The shared memory interface.
  * @param smps Array where pointers to newly allocated samples will be returned.
  * @param cnt Number of samples to allocate.
diff --git a/include/villas/signal.h b/include/villas/signal.h
index 8769803db..55ec24004 100644
--- a/include/villas/signal.h
+++ b/include/villas/signal.h
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ struct signal {
 int signal_init(struct signal *s);
 
 /** Increase reference counter. */
-int signal_get(struct signal *s);
+int signal_incref(struct signal *s);
 
 /** Decrease reference counter. */
-int signal_put(struct signal *s);
+int signal_decref(struct signal *s);
 
 int signal_init_from_mapping(struct signal *s, const struct mapping_entry *me, unsigned index);
 
diff --git a/lib/hooks/drop.c b/lib/hooks/drop.c
index 0d4a8cbd2..70e63ff90 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/drop.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/drop.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static int drop_stop(struct hook *h)
 	struct drop *d = (struct drop *) h->_vd;
 
 	if (d->prev)
-		sample_put(d->prev);
+		sample_decref(d->prev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ ok:		/* To discard the first X samples in 'smps[]' we must
 	}
 
 	if (cur)
-		sample_get(cur);
+		sample_incref(cur);
 	if (d->prev)
-		sample_put(d->prev);
+		sample_decref(d->prev);
 
 	d->prev = cur;
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ static int drop_restart(struct hook *h)
 	struct drop *d = (struct drop *) h->_vd;
 
 	if (d->prev) {
-		sample_put(d->prev);
+		sample_decref(d->prev);
 		d->prev = NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/hooks/restart.c b/lib/hooks/restart.c
index 1e8c73902..0aff2eb11 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/restart.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/restart.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static int restart_stop(struct hook *h)
 	struct restart *r = (struct restart *) h->_vd;
 
 	if (r->prev)
-		sample_put(r->prev);
+		sample_decref(r->prev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ static int restart_read(struct hook *h, struct sample *smps[], unsigned *cnt)
 	}
 
 	if (cur)
-		sample_get(cur);
+		sample_incref(cur);
 	if (r->prev)
-		sample_put(r->prev);
+		sample_decref(r->prev);
 
 	r->prev = cur;
 
diff --git a/lib/hooks/stats.c b/lib/hooks/stats.c
index 76704373f..b3f5c87a8 100644
--- a/lib/hooks/stats.c
+++ b/lib/hooks/stats.c
@@ -178,10 +178,10 @@ static int stats_collect_read(struct hook *h, struct sample *smps[], unsigned *c
 	}
 
 	if (p->last)
-		sample_put(p->last);
+		sample_decref(p->last);
 
 	if (previous)
-		sample_get(previous);
+		sample_incref(previous);
 
 	p->last = previous;
 
diff --git a/lib/nodes/iec61850_sv.c b/lib/nodes/iec61850_sv.c
index 1ed940e56..5ceb8a26d 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/iec61850_sv.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/iec61850_sv.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ int iec61850_sv_read(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsign
 	pulled = queue_signalled_pull_many(&i->subscriber.queue, (void **) smpt, cnt);
 
 	sample_copy_many(smps, smpt, pulled);
-	sample_put_many(smpt, pulled);
+	sample_decref_many(smpt, pulled);
 
 	return pulled;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nodes/infiniband.c b/lib/nodes/infiniband.c
index ed597c395..2356a3e2e 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/infiniband.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/infiniband.c
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ static int ib_disconnect(struct node *n)
 		ib->conn.available_recv_wrs -= wcs;
 
 		for (int j = 0; j < wcs; j++)
-			sample_put((struct sample *) (wc[j].wr_id));
+			sample_decref((struct sample *) (wc[j].wr_id));
 	}
 
 	// Send Queue
 	while ((wcs = ibv_poll_cq(ib->ctx.send_cq, ib->send_cq_size, wc)))
 		for (int j = 0; j < wcs; j++)
 			if (wc[j].wr_id > 0)
-				sample_put((struct sample *) (wc[j].wr_id));
+				sample_decref((struct sample *) (wc[j].wr_id));
 
 	// Send Queue Stack
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static int ib_disconnect(struct node *n)
 		// to double check return of queue_pull.
 		queue_pull(&ib->conn.send_wc_buffer, (void **) &smp);
 
-		sample_put(smp);
+		sample_decref(smp);
 	}
 
 	// Destroy QP
diff --git a/lib/nodes/loopback.c b/lib/nodes/loopback.c
index 40ab4773a..5f61ea8ef 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/loopback.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/loopback.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ int loopback_read(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsigned
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < avail; i++) {
 		sample_copy(smps[i], cpys[i]);
-		sample_put(cpys[i]);
+		sample_decref(cpys[i]);
 	}
 
 	return avail;
diff --git a/lib/nodes/mqtt.c b/lib/nodes/mqtt.c
index 86fd1e78e..4e105e7ad 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/mqtt.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/mqtt.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ static void mqtt_message_cb(struct mosquitto *mosq, void *userdata, const struct
 	}
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		debug(4, "MQTT: skip empty message for node %s", node_name(n));
-		sample_put_many(smps, n->in.vectorize);
+		sample_decref_many(smps, n->in.vectorize);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ int mqtt_read(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsigned *rel
 	pulled = queue_signalled_pull_many(&m->queue, (void **) smpt, cnt);
 
 	sample_copy_many(smps, smpt, pulled);
-	sample_put_many(smpt, pulled);
+	sample_decref_many(smpt, pulled);
 
 	return pulled;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nodes/shmem.c b/lib/nodes/shmem.c
index 38bfbc249..23666cfb9 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/shmem.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/shmem.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ int shmem_read(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsigned *re
 	}
 
 	sample_copy_many(smps, shared_smps, recv);
-	sample_put_many(shared_smps, recv);
+	sample_decref_many(shared_smps, recv);
 
 	return recv;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nodes/websocket.c b/lib/nodes/websocket.c
index 12aba03fa..4fa3849c3 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/websocket.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/websocket.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static int websocket_connection_destroy(struct websocket_connection *c)
 	int avail;
 	struct sample *smp;
 	while ((avail = queue_pull(&c->queue, (void **) &smp)))
-		sample_put(smp);
+		sample_decref(smp);
 
 	ret = queue_destroy(&c->queue);
 	if (ret)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static int websocket_connection_write(struct websocket_connection *c, struct sam
 	if (pushed < cnt)
 		warn("Queue overrun in WebSocket connection: %s", websocket_connection_name(c));
 
-	sample_get_many(smps, pushed);
+	sample_incref_many(smps, pushed);
 
 	debug(LOG_WEBSOCKET | 10, "Enqueued %u samples to %s", pushed, websocket_connection_name(c));
 
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ int websocket_protocol_cb(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reason, voi
 
 				ret = lws_write(wsi, (unsigned char *) c->buffers.send.buf + LWS_PRE, wbytes, c->io.flags & FORMAT_TYPE_BINARY ? LWS_WRITE_BINARY : LWS_WRITE_TEXT);
 
-				sample_put_many(smps, pulled);
+				sample_decref_many(smps, pulled);
 
 				debug(LOG_WEBSOCKET | 10, "Send %d samples to connection: %s, bytes=%d", pulled, websocket_connection_name(c), ret);
 			}
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ int websocket_protocol_cb(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reason, voi
 
 				/* Release unused samples back to pool */
 				if (enqueued < avail)
-					sample_put_many(&smps[enqueued], avail - enqueued);
+					sample_decref_many(&smps[enqueued], avail - enqueued);
 
 				buffer_clear(&c->buffers.recv);
 
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ int websocket_read(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsigned
 		return avail;
 
 	sample_copy_many(smps, cpys, avail);
-	sample_put_many(cpys, avail);
+	sample_decref_many(cpys, avail);
 
 	return avail;
 }
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ int websocket_write(struct node *n, struct sample *smps[], unsigned cnt, unsigne
 			websocket_connection_write(c, cpys, cnt);
 	}
 
-	sample_put_many(cpys, avail);
+	sample_decref_many(cpys, avail);
 
 	return cnt;
 }
diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index 523f96cb8..f0f32a445 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ static void path_source_read(struct path_source *ps, struct path *p, int i)
 		}
 	}
 
-	sample_put_many(muxed_smps, tomux);
-out2:	sample_put_many(read_smps, release);
+	sample_decref_many(muxed_smps, tomux);
+out2:	sample_decref_many(read_smps, release);
 }
 
 static int path_destination_init(struct path_destination *pd, int queuelen)
@@ -191,12 +191,12 @@ static void path_destination_enqueue(struct path *p, struct sample *smps[], unsi
 			warn("Queue overrun for path %s", path_name(p));
 
 		/* Increase reference counter of these samples as they are now also owned by the queue. */
-		sample_get_many(clones, cloned);
+		sample_incref_many(clones, cloned);
 
 		debug(LOG_PATH | 15, "Enqueued %u samples to destination %s of path %s", enqueued, node_name(pd->node), path_name(p));
 	}
 
-	sample_put_many(clones, cloned);
+	sample_decref_many(clones, cloned);
 }
 
 static void path_destination_write(struct path_destination *pd, struct path *p)
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ static void path_destination_write(struct path_destination *pd, struct path *p)
 		else if (sent < allocated)
 			warn("Partial write to node %s: written=%d, expected=%d", node_name(pd->node), sent, allocated);
 
-		released = sample_put_many(smps, release);
+		released = sample_decref_many(smps, release);
 
 		debug(LOG_PATH | 15, "Released %d samples back to memory pool", released);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/sample.c b/lib/sample.c
index 997eb4722..9bae7afd8 100644
--- a/lib/sample.c
+++ b/lib/sample.c
@@ -107,32 +107,32 @@ void sample_free_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt)
 		sample_free(smps[i]);
 }
 
-int sample_put_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt)
+int sample_decref_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt)
 {
 	int released = 0;
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < cnt; i++) {
-		if (sample_put(smps[i]) == 0)
+		if (sample_decref(smps[i]) == 0)
 			released++;
 	}
 
 	return released;
 }
 
-int sample_get_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt)
+int sample_incref_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt)
 {
 	for (int i = 0; i < cnt; i++)
-		sample_get(smps[i]);
+		sample_incref(smps[i]);
 
 	return cnt;
 }
 
-int sample_get(struct sample *s)
+int sample_incref(struct sample *s)
 {
 	return atomic_fetch_add(&s->refcnt, 1) + 1;
 }
 
-int sample_put(struct sample *s)
+int sample_decref(struct sample *s)
 {
 	int prev = atomic_fetch_sub(&s->refcnt, 1);
 
diff --git a/lib/signal.c b/lib/signal.c
index 92a690ce0..4728f9040 100644
--- a/lib/signal.c
+++ b/lib/signal.c
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ int signal_destroy(struct signal *s)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int signal_get(struct signal *s)
+int signal_incref(struct signal *s)
 {
 	return atomic_fetch_add(&s->refcnt, 1) + 1;
 }
 
-int signal_put(struct signal *s)
+int signal_decref(struct signal *s)
 {
 	int prev = atomic_fetch_sub(&s->refcnt, 1);
 
diff --git a/src/villas-pipe.cpp b/src/villas-pipe.cpp
index fb909d99c..5743ec584 100644
--- a/src/villas-pipe.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-pipe.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ static void * send_loop(void *ctx)
 		else if (sent < scanned)
 			warn("Failed to sent %d out of %d samples to node %s", scanned-sent, scanned, node_name(node));
 
-		sample_put_many(smps, release);
+		sample_decref_many(smps, release);
 
 		cnt += sent;
 		if (sendd.limit > 0 && cnt >= sendd.limit)
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ static void * recv_loop(void *ctx)
 
 		io_print(&io, smps, recv);
 
-		sample_put_many(smps, release);
+		sample_decref_many(smps, release);
 
 		cnt += recv;
 		if (recvv.limit > 0 && cnt >= recvv.limit)
diff --git a/src/villas-signal.cpp b/src/villas-signal.cpp
index c397eb970..2754d18c9 100644
--- a/src/villas-signal.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-signal.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		node_read(&n, &t, 1, &release);
 		io_print(&io, &t, 1);
 
-		sample_put(t);
+		sample_decref(t);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/villas-test-cmp.cpp b/src/villas-test-cmp.cpp
index b5fa6eadf..9301cae9a 100644
--- a/src/villas-test-cmp.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-test-cmp.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ out:	for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		if (ret)
 			error("Failed to destroy IO");
 
-		sample_put(s[i].sample);
+		sample_decref(s[i].sample);
 	}
 
 	ret = pool_destroy(&pool);
diff --git a/src/villas-test-shmem.cpp b/src/villas-test-shmem.cpp
index 8deaafb6a..5e645f325 100644
--- a/src/villas-test-shmem.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-test-shmem.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		}
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < readcnt; i++)
-			sample_put(insmps[i]);
+			sample_decref(insmps[i]);
 
 		writecnt = shmem_int_write(&shm, outsmps, avail);
 		if (writecnt < avail)