diff --git a/include/villas/path.h b/include/villas/path.h
index abd1dfbc2..0bcb4cf56 100644
--- a/include/villas/path.h
+++ b/include/villas/path.h
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ struct path
 	/** @} */
 };
 
-/** Create a path by allocating dynamic memory. */
-void path_init(struct path *p);
+/** Initialize internal data structures. */
+int path_init(struct path *p);
 
 /** Destroy path by freeing dynamically allocated memory.
  *
@@ -86,12 +86,6 @@ void path_init(struct path *p);
  */
 void path_destroy(struct path *p);
 
-/** Initialize  pool queue and hooks.
- *
- * Should be called after path_init() and before path_start().
- */
-int path_prepare(struct path *p);
-
 /** Start a path.
  *
  * Start a new pthread for receiving/sending messages over this path.
diff --git a/lib/cfg.c b/lib/cfg.c
index 84fbfd35f..f8f4b963d 100644
--- a/lib/cfg.c
+++ b/lib/cfg.c
@@ -154,7 +154,9 @@ int cfg_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 	
 	/* Allocate memory and intialize path structure */
 	p = alloc(sizeof(struct path));
-	path_init(p);
+	
+	list_init(&p->destinations);
+	list_init(&p->hooks);
 
 	/* Input node */
 	if (!config_setting_lookup_string(cfg, "in", &in) &&
diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index f94feeea3..6399bb6e1 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -135,28 +135,20 @@ const char * path_name(struct path *p)
 	return p->_name;
 }
 
-void path_init(struct path *p)
-{
-	list_init(&p->destinations);
-	list_init(&p->hooks);
-	
-	/* Initialize hook system */
-	list_foreach(struct hook *h, &hooks) {
-		if (h->type & HOOK_INTERNAL)
-			list_push(&p->hooks, memdup(h, sizeof(*h)));
-	}
-
-	p->state = PATH_CREATED;
-}
-
-int path_prepare(struct path *p)
+int path_init(struct path *p)
 {
 	int ret;
-	
+
+	/* Add internal hooks if they are not already in the list*/
+	list_foreach(struct hook *h, &hooks) {
+		if ((h->type & HOOK_INTERNAL) && (list_lookup(&p->hooks, h->name) == NULL))
+			list_push(&p->hooks, memdup(h, sizeof(struct hook)));
+	}
+
 	/* We sort the hooks according to their priority before starting the path */
 	list_sort(&p->hooks, hooks_sort_priority);
 
-	/* Allocate hook private memory */
+	/* Allocate hook private memory for storing state / parameters */
 	ret = hook_run(p, NULL, 0, HOOK_INIT);
 	if (ret)
 		error("Failed to initialize hooks of path: %s", path_name(p));
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index b4cf53cd7..1a4305b90 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	info("Starting paths");
 	list_foreach(struct path *p, &paths) { INDENT
 		if (p->enabled) {
-			path_prepare(p);
+			path_init(p);
 			path_start(p);
 		}
 		else