diff --git a/server/include/node.h b/server/include/node.h
index bfa0d5774..4ce8cdb16 100644
--- a/server/include/node.h
+++ b/server/include/node.h
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ struct node
 {
 	/** The socket descriptor */
 	int sd;
+	/** How many paths  are sending / receiving from this node? */
+	int refcnt;
+	/** Socket mark for netem, routing and filtering */
+	int mark;
 
 	/** A short identifier of the node, only used for configuration and logging */
 	const char *name;
@@ -46,13 +50,9 @@ struct node
 
 	/** The egress interface */
 	struct interface *interface;
-
 	/** Network emulator settings */
 	struct netem *netem;
 
-	/** Socket mark for netem, routing and filtering */
-	int mark;
-
 	/** A pointer to the libconfig object which instantiated this node */
 	config_setting_t *cfg;
 
diff --git a/server/src/cfg.c b/server/src/cfg.c
index 872c6c0de..aa595c1ec 100644
--- a/server/src/cfg.c
+++ b/server/src/cfg.c
@@ -119,19 +119,25 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	p->cfg = cfg;
 
 	if (enabled) {
+		p->in->refcnt++;
+		p->out->refcnt++;
+
 		list_add(*paths, p);
 
 		if (reverse) {
-			struct path *prev = (struct path *) malloc(sizeof(struct path));
-			if (!prev)
+			struct path *rev = (struct path *) malloc(sizeof(struct path));
+			if (!rev)
 				error("Failed to allocate memory for path");
 			else
-				memcpy(prev, path, sizeof(struct path));
+				memcpy(rev, p, sizeof(struct path));
 
-			prev->in  = p->out; /* Swap in/out */
-			prev->out = p->in;
+			rev->in  = p->out; /* Swap in/out */
+			rev->out = p->in;
 
-			list_add(*paths, prev);
+			rev->in->refcnt++;
+			rev->out->refcnt++;
+
+			list_add(*paths, rev);
 		}
 	}
 	else {
diff --git a/server/src/server.c b/server/src/server.c
index b9b603ab7..20fb0e53f 100644
--- a/server/src/server.c
+++ b/server/src/server.c
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ static void start()
 {
 	/* Connect and bind nodes to their sockets, set socket options */
 	for (struct node *n = nodes; n; n = n->next) {
+		if (!n->refcnt) continue;
+
 		/* Determine outgoing interface */
 		int index = if_getegress(&n->remote);
 		if (index < 0)
@@ -97,8 +99,9 @@ static void start()
 
 	/* Setup network emulation */
 	for (struct interface *i = interfaces; i; i = i->next) {
-		if (i->refcnt)
-			tc_prio(i, TC_HDL(4000, 0), i->refcnt);
+		if (!i->refcnt) continue;
+
+		tc_prio(i, TC_HDL(4000, 0), i->refcnt);
 	}
 
 	for (struct node *n = nodes; n; n = n->next) {