diff --git a/node/Bond.cpp b/node/Bond.cpp
index 0d8d44897..14d1e1023 100644
--- a/node/Bond.cpp
+++ b/node/Bond.cpp
@@ -189,16 +189,19 @@ void Bond::processBackgroundTasks(void* tPtr, const int64_t now)
 
 Bond::Bond(const RuntimeEnvironment* renv) : RR(renv)
 {
+	initTimers();
 }
 
 Bond::Bond(const RuntimeEnvironment* renv, int policy, const SharedPtr<Peer>& peer) : RR(renv), _freeRandomByte((unsigned char)((uintptr_t)this >> 4) ^ ++s_freeRandomByteCounter), _peer(peer), _peerId(_peer->_id.address().toInt())
 {
+	initTimers();
 	setBondParameters(policy, SharedPtr<Bond>(), false);
 	_policyAlias = getPolicyStrByCode(policy);
 }
 
 Bond::Bond(const RuntimeEnvironment* renv, std::string& basePolicy, std::string& policyAlias, const SharedPtr<Peer>& peer) : RR(renv), _policyAlias(policyAlias), _peer(peer)
 {
+	initTimers();
 	setBondParameters(getPolicyCodeByStr(basePolicy), SharedPtr<Bond>(), false);
 }
 
@@ -208,6 +211,7 @@ Bond::Bond(const RuntimeEnvironment* renv, SharedPtr<Bond> originalBond, const S
 	, _peer(peer)
 	, _peerId(_peer->_id.address().toInt())
 {
+	initTimers();
 	setBondParameters(originalBond->_policy, originalBond, true);
 }
 
@@ -756,20 +760,22 @@ void Bond::processBackgroundBondTasks(void* tPtr, int64_t now)
 	// Send ambient monitoring traffic
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ZT_MAX_PEER_NETWORK_PATHS; ++i) {
 		if (_paths[i].p && _paths[i].allowed()) {
-			if ((_monitorInterval > 0) && ((now - _paths[i].p->_lastOut) >= _monitorInterval)) {
-				if ((_peer->remoteVersionProtocol() >= 5) && (! ((_peer->remoteVersionMajor() == 1) && (_peer->remoteVersionMinor() == 1) && (_peer->remoteVersionRevision() == 0)))) {
-					Packet outp(_peer->address(), RR->identity.address(), Packet::VERB_ECHO); // ECHO (this is our bond's heartbeat)
-					outp.armor(_peer->key(), true, _peer->aesKeysIfSupported());
-					RR->node->expectReplyTo(outp.packetId());
-					RR->node->putPacket(tPtr, _paths[i].p->localSocket(), _paths[i].p->address(), outp.data(), outp.size());
-					_paths[i].p->_lastOut = now;
-					_overheadBytes += outp.size();
-					debug("sent ECHO via link %s", pathToStr(_paths[i].p).c_str());
+			if (_isLeaf) {
+				if ((_monitorInterval > 0) && (((now - _paths[i].p->_lastIn) >= _monitorInterval) /*|| ((now - _paths[i].p->_lastOut) >= _monitorInterval)*/)) {
+					if ((_peer->remoteVersionProtocol() >= 5) && (! ((_peer->remoteVersionMajor() == 1) && (_peer->remoteVersionMinor() == 1) && (_peer->remoteVersionRevision() == 0)))) {
+						Packet outp(_peer->address(), RR->identity.address(), Packet::VERB_ECHO); // ECHO (this is our bond's heartbeat)
+						outp.armor(_peer->key(), true, _peer->aesKeysIfSupported());
+						RR->node->expectReplyTo(outp.packetId());
+						RR->node->putPacket(tPtr, _paths[i].p->localSocket(), _paths[i].p->address(), outp.data(), outp.size());
+						_paths[i].p->_lastOut = now;
+						_overheadBytes += outp.size();
+						debug("tx: verb 0x%-2x of len %4d via %s (ECHO)", Packet::VERB_ECHO, outp.size(), pathToStr(_paths[i].p).c_str());
+					}
+				}
+				// QOS
+				if (_paths[i].needsToSendQoS(now, _qosSendInterval)) {
+					sendQOS_MEASUREMENT(tPtr, i, _paths[i].p->localSocket(), _paths[i].p->address(), now);
 				}
-			}
-			// QOS
-			if (_paths[i].needsToSendQoS(now, _qosSendInterval)) {
-				sendQOS_MEASUREMENT(tPtr, i, _paths[i].p->localSocket(), _paths[i].p->address(), now);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -799,6 +805,7 @@ void Bond::curateBond(int64_t now, bool rebuildBond)
 {
 	uint8_t tmpNumAliveLinks = 0;
 	uint8_t tmpNumTotalLinks = 0;
+
 	/**
 	 * Update path state variables. State variables are used so that critical
 	 * blocks that perform fast packet processing won't need to make as many
@@ -816,14 +823,14 @@ void Bond::curateBond(int64_t now, bool rebuildBond)
 		/**
 		 * Determine aliveness
 		 */
-		_paths[i].alive = (now - _paths[i].p->_lastIn) < _failoverInterval;
+		_paths[i].alive = _isLeaf ? (now - _paths[i].p->_lastIn) < _failoverInterval : (now - _paths[i].p->_lastIn) < ZT_PEER_PATH_EXPIRATION;
 
 		/**
 		 * Determine current eligibility
 		 */
 		bool currEligibility = false;
 		// Simple RX age (driven by packets of any type and gratuitous VERB_HELLOs)
-		bool acceptableAge = _paths[i].p->age(now) < (_failoverInterval + _downDelay);
+		bool acceptableAge = _isLeaf ? (_paths[i].p->age(now) < (_failoverInterval + _downDelay)) : _paths[i].alive;
 		// Whether we've waited long enough since the link last came online
 		bool satisfiedUpDelay = (now - _paths[i].lastAliveToggle) >= _upDelay;
 		// Whether this path is still in its trial period
@@ -1515,6 +1522,22 @@ void Bond::processActiveBackupTasks(void* tPtr, int64_t now)
 	}
 }
 
+void Bond::initTimers()
+{
+	_lastFlowExpirationCheck = 0;
+	_lastFlowRebalance = 0;
+	_lastSentPathNegotiationRequest = 0;
+	_lastPathNegotiationCheck = 0;
+	_lastPathNegotiationReceived = 0;
+	_lastQoSRateCheck = 0;
+	_lastQualityEstimation = 0;
+	_lastBondStatusLog = 0;
+	_lastSummaryDump = 0;
+	_lastActiveBackupPathChange = 0;
+	_lastFrame = 0;
+	_lastBackgroundTaskCheck = 0;
+}
+
 void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useTemplate)
 {
 	// Sanity check for policy
@@ -1522,27 +1545,26 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 	_defaultPolicy = (_defaultPolicy <= ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE || _defaultPolicy > ZT_BOND_POLICY_BALANCE_AWARE) ? ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE : _defaultPolicy;
 	_policy = (policy <= ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE || policy > ZT_BOND_POLICY_BALANCE_AWARE) ? ZT_BOND_POLICY_NONE : _defaultPolicy;
 
+	// Check if non-leaf to prevent spamming infrastructure
+	if (_peer) {
+		ZT_PeerRole role = RR->topology->role(_peer->address());
+		_isLeaf = (role != ZT_PEER_ROLE_PLANET && role != ZT_PEER_ROLE_MOON);
+	}
+
 	// Flows
 
-	_lastFlowExpirationCheck = 0;
-	_lastFlowRebalance = 0;
 	_allowFlowHashing = false;
 
 	// Path negotiation
 
-	_lastSentPathNegotiationRequest = 0;
-	_lastPathNegotiationCheck = 0;
 	_allowPathNegotiation = false;
 	_pathNegotiationCutoffCount = 0;
-	_lastPathNegotiationReceived = 0;
 	_localUtility = 0;
 	_negotiatedPathIdx = 0;
 
 	// QOS Verb (and related checks)
 
 	_qosCutoffCount = 0;
-	_lastQoSRateCheck = 0;
-	_lastQualityEstimation = 0;
 
 	// User preferences which may override the default bonding algorithm's behavior
 
@@ -1552,8 +1574,6 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 
 	// Bond status
 
-	_lastBondStatusLog = 0;
-	_lastSummaryDump = 0;
 	_isHealthy = false;
 	_numAliveLinks = 0;
 	_numTotalLinks = 0;
@@ -1561,7 +1581,6 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 
 	// active-backup
 
-	_lastActiveBackupPathChange = 0;
 	_abPathIdx = ZT_MAX_PEER_NETWORK_PATHS;
 
 	// rr
@@ -1582,15 +1601,9 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 	_maxAcceptablePacketLossRatio = 0.10f;
 	_maxAcceptablePacketErrorRatio = 0.10f;
 
-	// General timers
-
-	_lastFrame = 0;
-	_lastBackgroundTaskCheck = 0;
-
 	// balance-aware
 
 	_totalBondUnderload = 0;
-
 	_overheadBytes = 0;
 
 	/**
@@ -1637,6 +1650,10 @@ void Bond::setBondParameters(int policy, SharedPtr<Bond> templateBond, bool useT
 		memcpy(_qw, templateBond->_qw, ZT_QOS_WEIGHT_SIZE * sizeof(float));
 	}
 
+	if (!_isLeaf) {
+		_policy = ZT_BOND_POLICY_ACTIVE_BACKUP;
+	}
+
 	// Timer geometry
 
 	_monitorInterval = _failoverInterval / ZT_BOND_ECHOS_PER_FAILOVER_INTERVAL;
@@ -1668,9 +1685,9 @@ std::string Bond::pathToStr(const SharedPtr<Path>& path)
 {
 #ifdef ZT_TRACE
 	char pathStr[64] = { 0 };
-	char fullPathStr[256] = { 0 };
+	char fullPathStr[384] = { 0 };
 	path->address().toString(pathStr);
-	snprintf(fullPathStr, 256, "%.16llx-%s/%s", (unsigned long long)(path->localSocket()), getLink(path)->ifname().c_str(), pathStr);
+	snprintf(fullPathStr, 384, "%.16llx-%s/%s", (unsigned long long)(path->localSocket()), getLink(path)->ifname().c_str(), pathStr);
 	return std::string(fullPathStr);
 #else
 	return "";
@@ -1683,10 +1700,11 @@ void Bond::dumpPathStatus(int64_t now, int pathIdx)
 	std::string aliveOrDead = _paths[pathIdx].alive ? std::string("alive") : std::string("dead");
 	std::string eligibleOrNot = _paths[pathIdx].eligible ? std::string("eligible") : std::string("ineligible");
 	std::string bondedOrNot = _paths[pathIdx].bonded ? std::string("bonded") : std::string("unbonded");
-	log("path[%2d] --- %5s (%7d), %10s, %8s, flows=%-6d lat=%-8.3f pdv=%-7.3f err=%-6.4f loss=%-6.4f alloc=%-3d --- (%s)",
+	log("path[%2d] --- %5s (in %7d, out: %7d), %10s, %8s, flows=%-6d lat=%-8.3f pdv=%-7.3f err=%-6.4f loss=%-6.4f alloc=%-3d --- (%s)",
 		pathIdx,
 		aliveOrDead.c_str(),
 		_paths[pathIdx].p->age(now),
+		(now - _paths[pathIdx].p->_lastOut),
 		eligibleOrNot.c_str(),
 		bondedOrNot.c_str(),
 		_paths[pathIdx].assignedFlowCount,
@@ -1709,13 +1727,14 @@ void Bond::dumpInfo(int64_t now, bool force)
 	_lastSummaryDump = now;
 	float overhead = (_overheadBytes / (timeSinceLastDump / 1000.0f) / 1000.0f);
 	_overheadBytes = 0;
-	log("bond: bp=%d, fi=%d, mi=%d, ud=%d, dd=%d, flows=%lu, overhead=%f KB/s",
+	log("bond: bp=%d, fi=%d, mi=%d, ud=%d, dd=%d, flows=%lu, leaf=%d, overhead=%f KB/s",
 		_policy,
 		_failoverInterval,
 		_monitorInterval,
 		_upDelay,
 		_downDelay,
 		(unsigned long)_flows.size(),
+		_isLeaf,
 		overhead);
 	for (int i = 0; i < ZT_MAX_PEER_NETWORK_PATHS; ++i) {
 		if (_paths[i].p) {
diff --git a/node/Bond.hpp b/node/Bond.hpp
index 007793fbd..b30d3a90f 100644
--- a/node/Bond.hpp
+++ b/node/Bond.hpp
@@ -761,6 +761,11 @@ class Bond {
 	 */
 	void dequeueNextActiveBackupPath(uint64_t now);
 
+	/**
+	 * Zero all timers
+	 */
+	void initTimers();
+
 	/**
 	 * Set bond parameters to reasonable defaults, these may later be overwritten by
 	 * user-specified parameters.
@@ -1135,7 +1140,6 @@ class Bond {
 	/**
 	 * Emit message to tracing system but with added timestamp and subsystem info
 	 *
-	 * TODO: Will be replaced when better logging facilities exist in Trace.hpp
 	 */
 	void log(const char* fmt, ...)
 	{
@@ -1165,7 +1169,6 @@ class Bond {
 	/**
 	 * Emit message to tracing system but with added timestamp and subsystem info
 	 *
-	 * TODO: Will be replaced when better logging facilities exist in Trace.hpp
 	 */
 	void debug(const char* fmt, ...)
 	{
@@ -1499,6 +1502,7 @@ class Bond {
 	unsigned char _freeRandomByte;	 // Free byte of entropy that is updated on every packet egress event.
 	SharedPtr<Peer> _peer;			 // Remote peer that this bond services
 	unsigned long long _peerId;		 // ID of the peer that this bond services
+	bool _isLeaf;
 
 	/**
 	 * Rate-limiting
diff --git a/node/Peer.hpp b/node/Peer.hpp
index 2368e9318..3bfe31950 100644
--- a/node/Peer.hpp
+++ b/node/Peer.hpp
@@ -568,6 +568,8 @@ private:
 	Mutex _paths_m;
 	Mutex _bond_m;
 
+	bool _isLeaf;
+
 	Identity _id;
 
 	unsigned int _directPathPushCutoffCount;