diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index 61b4ed67a..ffff6ef90 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -61,11 +61,8 @@ static void path_read(struct path *p)
 	recv = node_read(ps->node, smps, ready);
 	if (recv < 0)
 		error("Failed to receive message from node %s", node_name(ps->node));
-	else if (recv < ready) {
+	else if (recv < ready)
 		warn("Partial read for path %s: read=%u expected=%u", path_name(p), recv, ready);
-		/* Free samples that weren't written to */
-		sample_free(smps+recv, ready-recv);
-	}
 
 	/* Run preprocessing hooks for vector of samples */
 	enqueue = hook_read_list(&p->hooks, smps, recv);
@@ -75,10 +72,9 @@ static void path_read(struct path *p)
 		if (p->stats)
 			stats_update(p->stats->delta, STATS_SKIPPED, recv - enqueue);
 	}
-
+	
 	/* Keep track of the lowest index that wasn't enqueued;
 	 * all following samples must be freed here */
-	int refd = 0;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < list_length(&p->destinations); i++) {
 		struct path_destination *pd = list_at(&p->destinations, i);
 
@@ -86,14 +82,13 @@ static void path_read(struct path *p)
 		if (enqueue != enqueued)
 			warn("Queue overrun for path %s", path_name(p));
 
-		if (refd < enqueued)
-			refd = enqueued;
+		/* Increase reference counter of these samples as they are now also owned by the queue. */
+		sample_get_many(smps, enqueued);
 
 		debug(LOG_PATH | 15, "Enqueued %u samples from %s to queue of %s", enqueued, node_name(ps->node), node_name(pd->node));
 	}
 
-	/* Release those samples which have not been pushed into a queue */
-	sample_free(smps + refd, ready - refd);
+	sample_put_many(smps, ready);
 }
 
 static void path_write(struct path *p)