diff --git a/lib/hook_list.cpp b/lib/hook_list.cpp
index 6e3b23f05..5c94f5ca0 100644
--- a/lib/hook_list.cpp
+++ b/lib/hook_list.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ int hook_list_prepare(vlist *hs, vlist *sigs, int m, struct path *p, struct node
 {
 	assert(hs->state == STATE_INITIALIZED);
 
+	if (!m)
+		goto skip_add;
+
 	/* Add internal hooks if they are not already in the list */
 	for (auto f : plugin::Registry::lookup<HookFactory>()) {
 		if ((f->getFlags() & m) == m) {
@@ -118,6 +121,7 @@ int hook_list_prepare(vlist *hs, vlist *sigs, int m, struct path *p, struct node
 		}
 	}
 
+skip_add:
 	/* We sort the hooks according to their priority */
 	vlist_sort(hs, (cmp_cb_t) hook_cmp_priority);
 
diff --git a/lib/node_direction.c b/lib/node_direction.c
index b7b52af7b..5490a2351 100644
--- a/lib/node_direction.c
+++ b/lib/node_direction.c
@@ -221,11 +221,12 @@ int node_direction_stop(struct node_direction *nd, struct node *n)
 
 struct vlist * node_direction_get_signals(struct node_direction *nd)
 {
-#ifdef WITH_HOOKS
 	assert(nd->state == STATE_PREPARED);
 
-	return hook_list_get_signals(&nd->hooks);
-#else
-	return &nd->signals;
+#ifdef WITH_HOOKS
+	if (vlist_length(&nd->hooks) > 0)
+		return hook_list_get_signals(&nd->hooks);
 #endif
+
+	return &nd->signals;
 }