diff --git a/server/include/node.h b/server/include/node.h
index c498b080f..8531c9f1f 100644
--- a/server/include/node.h
+++ b/server/include/node.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 /* Helper macros for virtual node type */
 #define node_type(n)			((n)->_vt->type)
 #define node_parse(n, cfg)		((n)->_vt->parse(cfg, n))
-#define node_print(n)			((n)->_vt->print(n))
 
 #define node_read(n, p, ps, f, c)	((n)->_vt->read(n, p, ps, f, c))
 #define node_write(n, p, ps, f, c)	((n)->_vt->write(n, p, ps, f, c))
@@ -163,6 +162,7 @@ struct node_type {
 struct node
 {
 	const char *name;	/**< A short identifier of the node, only used for configuration and logging */
+	char *_print;		/**< A string used to print to screen. */
 
 	int refcnt;		/**< How many paths  are sending / receiving from this node? */
 	int combine;		/**< Number of messages to send / recv at once (scatter / gather) */
@@ -206,13 +206,8 @@ int node_deinit();
  */
 int node_start(struct node *n);
 
-/** Deferred TCP connection setup
- *
- * @todo Dirty hack!
- *  We should check the address of the connecting node!
- *  We should preserve the original socket for proper shutdown.
- */
-int node_start_defer(struct node *n);
+/** Return a pointer to a string which should be used to print this node */
+char * node_print(struct node *n);
 
 /** Stops a node.
  *
diff --git a/server/include/path.h b/server/include/path.h
index f0a873065..c536481a5 100644
--- a/server/include/path.h
+++ b/server/include/path.h
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ struct path
 
 	config_setting_t *cfg;		/**< A pointer to the libconfig object which instantiated this path */
 	
+	char *_print;			/**< A string which is used to print this path to screen. */
+	
 	/** The following fields are mostly managed by hook_ functions @{ */
 	
 	struct hist hist_owd;		/**< Histogram for one-way-delay (OWD) of received messages */
diff --git a/server/src/cfg.c b/server/src/cfg.c
index 493f6ff52..d8727234a 100644
--- a/server/src/cfg.c
+++ b/server/src/cfg.c
@@ -186,9 +186,7 @@ int config_parse_path(config_setting_t *cfg,
 		}
 	}
 	else {
-		char *buf = path_print(p);
-		warn("Path %s is not enabled", buf);
-		free(buf);
+		warn("Path %s is not enabled", path_print(p));
 
 		path_destroy(p);
 	}
diff --git a/server/src/hooks.c b/server/src/hooks.c
index 2eeb8f0f4..92454915f 100644
--- a/server/src/hooks.c
+++ b/server/src/hooks.c
@@ -273,10 +273,8 @@ int hook_restart(struct path *p, struct hook *h, int when)
 {
 	if (p->current->sequence  == 0 &&
 	    p->previous->sequence <= UINT32_MAX - 32) {
-		char *buf = path_print(p);
 		warn("Simulation for path %s restarted (prev->seq=%u, current->seq=%u)",
-			buf, p->previous->sequence, p->current->sequence);
-		free(buf);
+			path_print(p), p->previous->sequence, p->current->sequence);
 
 		p->sent	    =
 		p->invalid  =
@@ -378,6 +376,7 @@ int hook_stats(struct path *p, struct hook *h, int when)
 			
 			if (p->received > 1)
 				stats("%-40.40s|%10.2g|%10.2f|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|", buf,
+				stats("%-40.40s|%10.2g|%10.2f|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|%10u|", path_print(p),
 					p->hist_owd.last, 1 / p->hist_gap_msg.last,
 					p->sent, p->received, p->dropped, p->skipped, p->invalid, p->overrun, list_length(p->current)
 				);
diff --git a/server/src/node.c b/server/src/node.c
index 9e2fe00ad..714c8710c 100644
--- a/server/src/node.c
+++ b/server/src/node.c
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ int node_start(struct node *n)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	char *buf = node_print(n);
-	debug(1, "Starting node '%s' of type '%s' (%s)", n->name, n->_vt->name, buf);
-	free(buf);
+	debug(1, "Starting node '%s' of type '%s' (%s)", n->name, n->_vt->name, node_print(n));
 
 	{ INDENT
 		return node_open(n);
@@ -90,6 +88,14 @@ int node_stop(struct node *n)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+char * node_print(struct node *n)
+{
+	if (!n->_print)
+		n->_print = n->_vt->print(n);
+
+	return n->_print;
+}
+
 void node_reverse(struct node *n)
 {
 	switch (node_type(n)) {
@@ -131,6 +137,7 @@ void node_destroy(struct node *n)
 		default: { }
 	}
 
+	free(n->_print);
 	free(n->socket);
 	free(n);
 }
diff --git a/server/src/path.c b/server/src/path.c
index 5d2616f97..7658e621c 100644
--- a/server/src/path.c
+++ b/server/src/path.c
@@ -139,10 +139,8 @@ static void * path_run(void *arg)
 
 int path_start(struct path *p)
 { INDENT
-	char *buf = path_print(p);
 	info("Starting path: %s (poolsize=%u, msgsize=%u, #hooks=%zu, rate=%.1f)",
-		buf, p->poolsize, p->msgsize, list_length(&p->hooks), p->rate);
-	free(buf);
+		path_print(p), p->poolsize, p->msgsize, list_length(&p->hooks), p->rate);
 	
 	/* We sort the hooks according to their priority before starting the path */
 	list_sort(&p->hooks, ({int cmp(const void *a, const void *b) {
@@ -174,9 +172,7 @@ int path_start(struct path *p)
 
 int path_stop(struct path *p)
 { INDENT
-	char *buf = path_print(p);
-	info("Stopping path: %s", buf);
-	free(buf);
+	info("Stopping path: %s", path_print(p));
 
 	pthread_cancel(p->recv_tid);
 	pthread_join(p->recv_tid, NULL);
@@ -196,14 +192,16 @@ int path_stop(struct path *p)
 
 char * path_print(struct path *p)
 {
-	char *buf = alloc(32);
+	if (!p->_print) {
+		char *buf = alloc(64);
 	
-	strcatf(&buf, "%s " MAG("=>"), p->in->name);
+		strcatf(&buf, "%s " MAG("=>"), p->in->name);
 
-	list_foreach(struct node *n, &p->destinations)
-		strcatf(&buf, " %s", n->name);
+		list_foreach(struct node *n, &p->destinations)
+			strcatf(&buf, " %s", n->name);
+	}
 
-	return buf;
+	return p->_print;
 }
 
 struct path * path_create()
@@ -228,6 +226,7 @@ void path_destroy(struct path *p)
 	list_destroy(&p->destinations);
 	list_destroy(&p->hooks);
 
+	free(p->_print);
 	free(p->pool);
 	free(p);
 }