diff --git a/msg.c b/msg.c
index c26c3e0..24bfe26 100644
--- a/msg.c
+++ b/msg.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <malloc.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
 #include <asm/byteorder.h>
@@ -40,6 +41,24 @@ struct message_storage {
 
 static TAILQ_HEAD(msg_pool, ptp_message) msg_pool;
 
+static struct {
+	int total;
+	int count;
+} pool_stats;
+
+#ifdef DEBUG_POOL
+static void pool_debug(const char *str, void *addr)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "*** %p %10s total %d count %d used %d\n",
+		addr, str, pool_stats.total, pool_stats.count,
+		pool_stats.total - pool_stats.count);
+}
+#else
+static void pool_debug(const char *str, void *addr)
+{
+}
+#endif
+
 static void announce_pre_send(struct announce_msg *m)
 {
 	m->currentUtcOffset = htons(m->currentUtcOffset);
@@ -145,13 +164,24 @@ struct ptp_message *msg_allocate(void)
 {
 	struct message_storage *s;
 	struct ptp_message *m = TAILQ_FIRST(&msg_pool);
-	if (!m) {
+
+	if (m) {
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&msg_pool, m, list);
+		pool_stats.count--;
+		pool_debug("dequeue", m);
+	} else {
 		s = malloc(sizeof(*s));
 		if (s) {
 			m = &s->msg;
-			m->refcnt = 1;
+			pool_stats.total++;
+			pool_debug("allocate", m);
 		}
 	}
+	if (m) {
+		memset(m, 0, sizeof(*m));
+		m->refcnt = 1;
+	}
+
 	return m;
 }
 
@@ -330,8 +360,11 @@ void msg_print(struct ptp_message *m, FILE *fp)
 void msg_put(struct ptp_message *m)
 {
 	m->refcnt--;
-	if (!m)
+	if (!m->refcnt) {
+		pool_stats.count++;
+		pool_debug("recycle", m);
 		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&msg_pool, m, list);
+	}
 }
 
 int msg_sots_missing(struct ptp_message *m)
diff --git a/port.c b/port.c
index bf5738f..9d3a966 100644
--- a/port.c
+++ b/port.c
@@ -366,7 +366,6 @@ static int port_pdelay_request(struct port *p)
 	msg = msg_allocate();
 	if (!msg)
 		return -1;
-	memset(msg, 0, sizeof(*msg));
 
 	pdulen = sizeof(struct pdelay_req_msg);
 	msg->hwts.type = p->timestamping;
@@ -414,7 +413,6 @@ static int port_delay_request(struct port *p)
 	msg = msg_allocate();
 	if (!msg)
 		return -1;
-	memset(msg, 0, sizeof(*msg));
 
 	pdulen = sizeof(struct delay_req_msg);
 	msg->hwts.type = p->timestamping;
@@ -461,7 +459,6 @@ static int port_tx_announce(struct port *p)
 	msg = msg_allocate();
 	if (!msg)
 		return -1;
-	memset(msg, 0, sizeof(*msg));
 
 	pdulen = sizeof(struct announce_msg);
 	msg->hwts.type = p->timestamping;
@@ -523,8 +520,6 @@ static int port_tx_sync(struct port *p)
 		msg_put(msg);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	memset(msg, 0, sizeof(*msg));
-	memset(fup, 0, sizeof(*fup));
 
 	pdulen = sizeof(struct sync_msg);
 	msg->hwts.type = p->timestamping;
@@ -767,7 +762,6 @@ static int process_delay_req(struct port *p, struct ptp_message *m)
 	msg = msg_allocate();
 	if (!msg)
 		return -1;
-	memset(msg, 0, sizeof(*msg));
 
 	pdulen = sizeof(struct delay_resp_msg);
 	msg->hwts.type = p->timestamping;
@@ -895,8 +889,6 @@ static int process_pdelay_req(struct port *p, struct ptp_message *m)
 		msg_put(rsp);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	memset(rsp, 0, sizeof(*rsp));
-	memset(fup, 0, sizeof(*fup));
 
 	rsp_len = sizeof(struct pdelay_resp_msg);
 	rsp->hwts.type = p->timestamping;