diff --git a/overlay_link.c b/overlay_link.c
index f90594a8..5cfb310a 100644
--- a/overlay_link.c
+++ b/overlay_link.c
@@ -190,10 +190,12 @@ int overlay_send_probe(struct subscriber *peer, struct network_destination *dest
   bzero(frame,sizeof(struct overlay_frame));
   frame->type=OF_TYPE_DATA;
   frame->source = my_subscriber;
-  frame->next_hop = frame->destination = peer;
+  frame->destination = peer;
   frame->ttl=1;
   frame->queue=queue;
-  frame->destinations[frame->destination_count++].destination=add_destination_ref(destination);
+  unsigned dest = frame->destination_count++;
+  frame->destinations[dest].destination=add_destination_ref(destination);
+  frame->destinations[dest].next_hop = peer;
   if ((frame->payload = ob_new()) == NULL) {
     op_free(frame);
     return -1;
diff --git a/overlay_packet.h b/overlay_packet.h
index 44fae8b3..57e1c882 100644
--- a/overlay_packet.h
+++ b/overlay_packet.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ struct packet_destination{
   time_ms_t transmit_time;
   // the actual out going stream for this packet
   struct network_destination *destination;
+  // next hop in the route
+  struct subscriber *next_hop;
 };
 
 struct overlay_frame {
diff --git a/overlay_payload.c b/overlay_payload.c
index 169e4cbf..b7b34e9f 100644
--- a/overlay_payload.c
+++ b/overlay_payload.c
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ static int overlay_frame_build_header(int packet_version, struct decode_context
 }
 
 int overlay_frame_append_payload(struct decode_context *context, int encapsulation,
-				 struct overlay_frame *p, struct overlay_buffer *b,
-				 char will_retransmit)
+				 struct overlay_frame *p, struct subscriber *next_hop, 
+				 struct overlay_buffer *b, char will_retransmit)
 {
   /* Convert a payload (frame) structure into a series of bytes.
      Assumes that any encryption etc has already been done.
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int overlay_frame_append_payload(struct decode_context *context, int encapsulati
   if (overlay_frame_build_header(p->packet_version, context, b,
 			     p->queue, p->type, p->modifiers, will_retransmit, 
 			     p->ttl, p->mdp_sequence&0xFF,
-			     broadcast, p->next_hop, 
+			     broadcast, next_hop, 
 			     p->destination, p->source) == -1)
     goto cleanup;
   
diff --git a/overlay_queue.c b/overlay_queue.c
index 56611cb6..893db1d8 100644
--- a/overlay_queue.c
+++ b/overlay_queue.c
@@ -373,10 +373,6 @@ overlay_stuff_packet(struct outgoing_packet *packet, overlay_txqueue *queue, tim
 	      frame->destinations[i].destination->unicast?"unicast":"broadcast",
 	      frame->destinations[i].destination->interface->name);
       }
-      
-      // degrade packet version if required to reach the destination
-      if (frame->packet_version > frame->next_hop->max_packet_version)
-	frame->packet_version = frame->next_hop->max_packet_version;
     }
     
     if (frame->mdp_sequence == -1){
@@ -404,6 +400,10 @@ overlay_stuff_packet(struct outgoing_packet *packet, overlay_txqueue *queue, tim
 	  remove_destination(frame, i);
 	  continue;
 	}
+	// degrade packet version if required to reach the destination
+	if (frame->destinations[i].next_hop 
+	  && frame->packet_version > frame->destinations[i].next_hop->max_packet_version)
+	  frame->packet_version = frame->destinations[i].next_hop->max_packet_version;
 	
 	if (frame->destinations[i].transmit_time && 
 	  frame->destinations[i].transmit_time + frame->destinations[i].destination->resend_delay > now)
@@ -466,28 +466,29 @@ overlay_stuff_packet(struct outgoing_packet *packet, overlay_txqueue *queue, tim
     if (frame->packet_version<1 || frame->resend<=0 || packet->seq==-1)
       will_retransmit=0;
     
-    if (overlay_frame_append_payload(&packet->context, packet->destination->encapsulation, frame, packet->buffer, will_retransmit)){
+    if (overlay_frame_append_payload(&packet->context, packet->destination->encapsulation, frame, 
+	frame->destinations[destination_index].next_hop, packet->buffer, will_retransmit)){
       // payload was not queued, delay the next attempt slightly
       frame->delay_until = now + 5;
       goto skip;
     }
     
+    frame->transmit_count++;
+    
     {
       struct packet_destination *dest = &frame->destinations[destination_index];
       dest->sent_sequence = dest->destination->sequence_number;
       dest->transmit_time = now;
+      if (debug)
+	strbuf_sprintf(debug, "%d(%s), ", frame->mdp_sequence, frame->whence.function);
+      if (config.debug.overlayframes)
+	DEBUGF("Appended payload %p, %d type %x len %zd for %s via %s", 
+	       frame, frame->mdp_sequence,
+	       frame->type, ob_position(frame->payload),
+	       frame->destination?alloca_tohex_sid_t(frame->destination->sid):"All",
+	       dest->next_hop?alloca_tohex_sid_t(dest->next_hop->sid):alloca_tohex(frame->broadcast_id.id, BROADCAST_LEN));
     }
     
-    frame->transmit_count++;
-    if (debug)
-      strbuf_sprintf(debug, "%d(%s), ", frame->mdp_sequence, frame->whence.function);
-    if (config.debug.overlayframes){
-      DEBUGF("Appended payload %p, %d type %x len %zd for %s via %s", 
-	     frame, frame->mdp_sequence,
-	     frame->type, ob_position(frame->payload),
-	     frame->destination?alloca_tohex_sid_t(frame->destination->sid):"All",
-	     frame->next_hop?alloca_tohex_sid_t(frame->next_hop->sid):alloca_tohex(frame->broadcast_id.id, BROADCAST_LEN));
-    }
     
     // dont retransmit if we aren't sending sequence numbers, or we've been asked not to
     if (!will_retransmit){
@@ -588,7 +589,7 @@ int overlay_queue_ack(struct subscriber *neighbour, struct network_destination *
 	  
       if (j>=0){
 	int frame_seq = frame->destinations[j].sent_sequence;
-	if (frame_seq >=0 && (frame->next_hop == neighbour || !frame->destination)){
+	if (frame_seq >=0 && (frame->destinations[j].next_hop == neighbour || !frame->destination)){
 	  int seq_delta = (ack_seq - frame_seq)&0xFF;
 	  char acked = (seq_delta==0 || (seq_delta <= 32 && ack_mask&(1<<(seq_delta-1))))?1:0;
 
diff --git a/route_link.c b/route_link.c
index 04fc1c49..aaa9b8b2 100644
--- a/route_link.c
+++ b/route_link.c
@@ -1027,17 +1027,17 @@ struct link_in * get_neighbour_link(struct neighbour *neighbour, struct overlay_
 int link_add_destinations(struct overlay_frame *frame)
 {
   if (frame->destination){
-    frame->next_hop = frame->destination;
+    struct subscriber *next_hop = frame->destination;
     
     // if the destination is unreachable, but we have a reachable directory service
     // forward it through the directory service
-    if (frame->next_hop->reachable==REACHABLE_NONE
+    if (next_hop->reachable==REACHABLE_NONE
       && directory_service 
-      && frame->next_hop!=directory_service
+      && next_hop!=directory_service
       && directory_service->reachable&REACHABLE)
-      frame->next_hop = directory_service;
+      next_hop = directory_service;
     
-    if (frame->next_hop->reachable==REACHABLE_NONE){
+    if (next_hop->reachable==REACHABLE_NONE){
       // if the destination is a network neighbour, but we haven't established any viable route yet
       // we need to add all likely links so that we can send ack's and bootstrap the routing table
       struct neighbour *n = get_neighbour(frame->destination, 0);
@@ -1045,19 +1045,25 @@ int link_add_destinations(struct overlay_frame *frame)
 	struct link_out *out = n->out_links;
 	time_ms_t now = gettime_ms();
 	while(out){
-	  if (out->timeout>=now && frame->destination_count < MAX_PACKET_DESTINATIONS)
-	    frame->destinations[frame->destination_count++].destination = add_destination_ref(out->destination);
+	  if (out->timeout>=now && frame->destination_count < MAX_PACKET_DESTINATIONS){
+	    unsigned dest = frame->destination_count++;
+	    frame->destinations[dest].destination = add_destination_ref(out->destination);
+	    frame->destinations[dest].next_hop = next_hop;
+	  }
 	  out = out->_next;
 	}
       }
     }
     
-    if ((frame->next_hop->reachable&REACHABLE)==REACHABLE_INDIRECT)
-      frame->next_hop = frame->next_hop->next_hop;
+    if ((next_hop->reachable&REACHABLE)==REACHABLE_INDIRECT)
+      next_hop = next_hop->next_hop;
     
-    if (frame->next_hop->reachable&REACHABLE_DIRECT){
-      if (frame->destination_count < MAX_PACKET_DESTINATIONS)
-	frame->destinations[frame->destination_count++].destination=add_destination_ref(frame->next_hop->destination);
+    if (next_hop->reachable&REACHABLE_DIRECT){
+      if (frame->destination_count < MAX_PACKET_DESTINATIONS){
+	unsigned dest = frame->destination_count++;
+	frame->destinations[dest].destination=add_destination_ref(next_hop->destination);
+	frame->destinations[dest].next_hop = next_hop;
+      }
     }    
   }else{
     char added_interface[OVERLAY_MAX_INTERFACES];
diff --git a/serval.h b/serval.h
index 1bd3bfc2..e3db34a0 100644
--- a/serval.h
+++ b/serval.h
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ int process_incoming_frame(time_ms_t now, struct overlay_interface *interface,
 int overlay_frame_process(struct overlay_interface *interface, struct overlay_frame *f);
 
 int overlay_frame_append_payload(struct decode_context *context, int encapsulation,
-				 struct overlay_frame *p, struct overlay_buffer *b,
-				 char will_retransmit);
+				 struct overlay_frame *p, struct subscriber *next_hop, 
+				 struct overlay_buffer *b, char will_retransmit);
 int overlay_packet_init_header(int packet_version, int encapsulation, 
 			       struct decode_context *context, struct overlay_buffer *buff, 
 			       char unicast, char interface, int seq);