diff --git a/aucat/aucat.c b/aucat/aucat.c
index eef8290..cab1712 100644
--- a/aucat/aucat.c
+++ b/aucat/aucat.c
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ struct cfnet {
 
 SLIST_HEAD(cfnetlist, cfnet);
 
-void
-cfdev_add(struct cfdevlist *list, struct cfdev *templ, char *path)
+struct cfdev *
+cfdev_new(struct cfdev *templ)
 {
 	struct cfdev *cd;
 
@@ -280,38 +280,61 @@ cfdev_add(struct cfdevlist *list, struct cfdev *templ, char *path)
 		perror("malloc");
 		abort();
 	}
-	*cd = *templ;
-	cd->path = path;
-	SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(list, cd, entry);
-	SLIST_INIT(&templ->ins);
-	SLIST_INIT(&templ->outs);
-	SLIST_INIT(&templ->opts);
-	SLIST_INIT(&templ->mids);
+	if (templ)
+		memcpy(cd, templ, sizeof(struct cfdev));
+	else {
+		aparams_init(&cd->ipar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
+		aparams_init(&cd->opar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
+		cd->bufsz = 0;
+		cd->round = 0;
+		cd->hold = 1;
+		cd->autovol = 1;
+	}
+	SLIST_INIT(&cd->ins);
+	SLIST_INIT(&cd->outs);
+	SLIST_INIT(&cd->opts);
+	SLIST_INIT(&cd->mids);
+	cd->path = NULL;
+	return cd;
 }
 
 void
-cfstr_add(struct cfstrlist *list, struct cfstr *templ, char *path)
+cfdev_add(struct cfdevlist *list, struct cfdev *cd, char *path)
 {
-	size_t len;
-	struct cfstr *cs;
-	unsigned hdr;
+	cd->path = path;
+	SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(list, cd, entry);
+}
+
+struct cfstr *
+cfstr_new(struct cfstr *templ)
+{
+	struct cfstr *cs;
 
-	if (templ->hdr == HDR_AUTO) {
-		len = strlen(path);
-		if (len >= 4 && strcasecmp(path + len - 4, ".wav") == 0)
-			hdr = HDR_WAV;
-		else
-			hdr = HDR_RAW;
-	} else
-		hdr = templ->hdr;
 	cs = malloc(sizeof(struct cfstr));
 	if (cs == NULL) {
 		perror("malloc");
 		abort();
 	}
-	*cs = *templ;
+	if (templ)
+		memcpy(cs, templ, sizeof(struct cfstr));
+	else {
+		aparams_init(&cs->ipar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
+		aparams_init(&cs->opar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
+		cs->mmc = 0;
+		cs->hdr = HDR_AUTO;
+		cs->xrun = XRUN_IGNORE;
+		cs->vol = MIDI_MAXCTL;
+		cs->mode = MODE_PLAY | MODE_REC;
+		cs->join = 1;
+	}
+	cs->path = NULL;
+	return cs;
+}
+
+void
+cfstr_add(struct cfstrlist *list, struct cfstr *cs, char *path)
+{
 	cs->path = path;
-	cs->hdr = hdr;
 	SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(list, cs, entry);
 }
 
@@ -464,7 +487,7 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int autostart;
 	struct dev *d, *dnext;
 	unsigned active;
-	unsigned nsock, nfile;
+	unsigned nsock;
 
 	/*
 	 * global options defaults
@@ -476,44 +499,13 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	n_flag = 0;
 	SLIST_INIT(&cfdevs);
 	SLIST_INIT(&cfnets);
-	nfile = nsock = 0;
+	nsock = 0;
 
 	/*
-	 * default stream params
+	 * default device and stream
 	 */
-	cs = malloc(sizeof(struct cfstr));
-	if (cs == NULL) {
-		perror("malloc");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	aparams_init(&cs->ipar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
-	aparams_init(&cs->opar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
-	cs->mmc = 0;
-	cs->hdr = HDR_AUTO;
-	cs->xrun = XRUN_IGNORE;
-	cs->vol = MIDI_MAXCTL;
-	cs->mode = MODE_PLAY | MODE_REC;
-	cs->join = 1;
-
-	/*
-	 * default device
-	 */
-	cd = malloc(sizeof(struct cfdev));
-	if (cd == NULL) {
-		perror("malloc");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	aparams_init(&cd->ipar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
-	aparams_init(&cd->opar, 0, 1, DEFAULT_RATE);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->ins);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->outs);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->opts);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->mids);
-	cd->path = NULL;
-	cd->bufsz = 0;
-	cd->round = 0;
-	cd->hold = 1;
-	cd->autovol = 1;
+	cd = cfdev_new(NULL);
+	cs = cfstr_new(NULL);
 
 	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "a:w:dnb:c:C:e:r:h:x:v:i:o:f:m:luq:s:U:L:t:j:z:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
@@ -540,7 +532,6 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		case 'm':
 			cs->mode = opt_mode();
-			cd->mode = cs->mode;
 			break;
 		case 'h':
 			cs->hdr = opt_hdr();
@@ -582,14 +573,15 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		case 'i':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->ins, cs, optarg);
-			nfile++;
+			cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 			break;
 		case 'o':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->outs, cs, optarg);
-			nfile++;
+			cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 			break;
 		case 's':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->opts, cs, optarg);
+			cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 			nsock++;
 			break;
 		case 'a':
@@ -616,9 +608,11 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			    SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->ins) &&
 			    SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs)) {
 				cfstr_add(&cd->opts, cs, DEFAULT_OPT);
+				cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 				nsock++;
 			}
 			cfdev_add(&cfdevs, cd, optarg);
+			cd = cfdev_new(cd);
 			break;
 		case 'l':
 			l_flag = 1;
@@ -663,15 +657,20 @@ aucat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		    SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs)) {
 			cfstr_add(&cd->opts, cs, DEFAULT_OPT);
 			nsock++;
-		}
+		} else
+			free(cs);
 		if (!cd->hold)
 			errx(1, "-a off not compatible with default device");
 		cfdev_add(&cfdevs, cd, "default");
+	} else {
+		if (!SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->opts) ||
+		    !SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->ins) ||
+		    !SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs) ||
+		    !SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs))
+			errx(1, "no device to attach last stream to");
+		free(cs);
+		free(cd);
 	}
-	if ((cs = SLIST_FIRST(&cd->opts)) ||
-	    (cs = SLIST_FIRST(&cd->ins)) ||
-	    (cs = SLIST_FIRST(&cd->outs)))
-		errx(1, "%s: no device to attach the stream to", cs->path);
 
 	/*
 	 * Check modes and calculate "best" device parameters. Iterate over all
@@ -899,29 +898,10 @@ midicat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	nsock = 0;
 	
 	/*
-	 * default stream params
+	 * default device and stream
 	 */
-	cs = malloc(sizeof(struct cfstr));
-	if (cs == NULL) {
-		perror("malloc");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	cs->hdr = HDR_RAW;
-
-	/*
-	 * default device
-	 */
-	cd = malloc(sizeof(struct cfdev));
-	if (cd == NULL) {
-		perror("malloc");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->ins);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->outs);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->opts);
-	SLIST_INIT(&cd->mids);
-	cd->path = NULL;
-
+	cs = cfstr_new(NULL);
+	cd = cfdev_new(NULL);
 
 	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "di:o:ls:q:U:L:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
@@ -934,9 +914,11 @@ midicat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		case 'i':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->ins, cs, optarg);
+			cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 			break;
 		case 'o':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->outs, cs, optarg);
+			cs = cfstr_new(cs);
 			break;
 		case 'q':
 			cfmid_add(&cd->mids, optarg);
@@ -944,6 +926,8 @@ midicat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 's':
 			cfstr_add(&cd->opts, cs, optarg);
 			cfdev_add(&cfdevs, cd, optarg);
+			cd = cfdev_new(cd);
+			cs = cfstr_new(NULL);
 			nsock++;
 			break;
 		case 'l':
@@ -986,14 +970,19 @@ midicat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	 */
 	if (SLIST_EMPTY(&cfdevs)) {
 		if (SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->mids)) {
-			if (!SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->ins) || !SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs))
-			    	cfmid_add(&cd->mids, "default");
-			else {
+			if (SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->ins) && SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->outs)) {
 				cfstr_add(&cd->opts, cs, DEFAULT_OPT);
 				nsock++;
+			} else {
+				cfmid_add(&cd->mids, "default");
+				free(cs);
 			}
-		}
+		} else
+			free(cs);
 		cfdev_add(&cfdevs, cd, "default");
+	} else {
+		free(cs);
+		free(cd);
 	}
 	if (nsock > 0) {
 		getbasepath(base, sizeof(path));
@@ -1010,8 +999,6 @@ midicat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		d = dev_new_thru();
 		if (d == NULL)
 			errx(1, "%s: can't open device", cd->path);
-		if (!dev_ref(d))
-			errx(1, "couldn't open midi thru box");
 		if (SLIST_EMPTY(&cd->opts) && APROC_OK(d->midi))
 			d->midi->flags |= APROC_QUIT;
 
diff --git a/aucat/wav.c b/aucat/wav.c
index ca51f48..9be0ec4 100644
--- a/aucat/wav.c
+++ b/aucat/wav.c
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@
  * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "abuf.h"
@@ -660,6 +661,25 @@ wav_quitreq(void *arg)
 		wav_exit(f);
 }
 
+/*
+ * determine the header by the file name
+ */
+unsigned
+wav_autohdr(char *name, unsigned hdr)
+{
+	size_t len;
+
+	if (hdr != HDR_AUTO)
+		return hdr;
+	if (name == NULL)
+		return HDR_RAW;
+	len = strlen(name);
+	if (len >= 4 && strcasecmp(name + len - 4, ".wav") == 0)
+		return HDR_WAV;
+	else
+		return HDR_RAW;
+}
+
 /*
  * create a file reader in the ``INIT'' state
  */
@@ -671,6 +691,7 @@ wav_new_in(struct fileops *ops,
 	int fd;
 	struct wav *f;
 
+	hdr = wav_autohdr(name, hdr);
 	if (name != NULL) {
 		fd = open(name, O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK, 0666);
 		if (fd < 0) {
@@ -726,7 +747,7 @@ wav_new_in(struct fileops *ops,
 	f->join = join;
 	f->mode = mode;
 	f->hpar = *par;
-	f->hdr = 0;
+	f->hdr = hdr;
 	f->xrun = xrun;
 	f->maxweight = MIDI_TO_ADATA(volctl);
 	f->slot = ctl_slotnew(f->dev->midi, "play", &ctl_wavops, f, 1);
@@ -760,6 +781,7 @@ wav_new_out(struct fileops *ops,
 	int fd;
 	struct wav *f;
 
+	hdr = wav_autohdr(name, hdr);
 	if (name == NULL) {
 		name = "stdout";
 		fd = STDOUT_FILENO;