diff --git a/include/villas/kernel/if.h b/include/villas/kernel/if.h
index f1c964b1c..5df083efb 100644
--- a/include/villas/kernel/if.h
+++ b/include/villas/kernel/if.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ struct interface {
  * @retval >0 Success. A pointer to the new interface.
  * @retval 0 Error. The creation failed.
  */
-struct interface * if_create(struct rtnl_link *link);
+int if_init(struct interface * , struct rtnl_link *link);
 
 
 /** Destroy interface by freeing dynamically allocated memory.
diff --git a/lib/kernel/if.c b/lib/kernel/if.c
index 6109822e5..765bf22aa 100644
--- a/lib/kernel/if.c
+++ b/lib/kernel/if.c
@@ -20,10 +20,8 @@
 
 #include "utils.h"
 
-struct interface * if_create(struct rtnl_link *link)
+int if_init(struct interface *i, struct rtnl_link *link)
 {
-	struct interface *i = alloc(sizeof(struct interface));
-	
 	i->nl_link = link;
 
 	debug(LOG_IF | 3, "Created interface '%s'", rtnl_link_get_name(i->nl_link));
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ struct interface * if_create(struct rtnl_link *link)
 
 	list_init(&i->sockets);
 
-	return i;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int if_destroy(struct interface *i)
diff --git a/lib/nodes/socket.c b/lib/nodes/socket.c
index 57bbcb219..d7ffc679f 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/socket.c
+++ b/lib/nodes/socket.c
@@ -64,8 +64,12 @@ int socket_init(int argc, char * argv[], config_setting_t *cfg)
 		}
 
 		/* If not found, create a new interface */
-		i = if_create(link);
-		list_push(&interfaces, i);
+		struct interface j;
+		
+		if_init(&j, link);
+		
+		list_push(&interfaces, memdup(&j, sizeof(j)));
+		i = &j;
 
 found:		list_push(&i->sockets, s);
 	}