diff --git a/src/modules/module-adapter.c b/src/modules/module-adapter.c
index 897dc9356..cf24fc96a 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-adapter.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-adapter.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct factory_data {
 
 	struct spa_list node_list;
 
+	struct pw_core *core;
 	struct pw_module *module;
 	struct spa_hook module_listener;
 };
@@ -98,15 +99,11 @@ static void *create_object(void *_data,
 			   uint32_t new_id)
 {
 	struct factory_data *d = _data;
-	struct pw_client *client = pw_resource_get_client(resource);
+	struct pw_client *client;
 	struct pw_node *adapter, *slave;
 	const char *factory_name;
 	int res;
 	struct node_data *nd;
-	struct pw_resource *bound_resource;
-
-	if (resource == NULL)
-		goto error_resource;
 
 	if (properties == NULL)
 		goto error_properties;
@@ -115,7 +112,7 @@ static void *create_object(void *_data,
 	if (factory_name == NULL)
 		goto error_properties;
 
-	slave = pw_spa_node_load(client->core,
+	slave = pw_spa_node_load(d->core,
 				NULL,
 				pw_factory_get_global(d->this),
 				factory_name,
@@ -144,29 +141,30 @@ static void *create_object(void *_data,
 	nd->adapter = adapter;
 	spa_list_append(&d->node_list, &nd->link);
 
-	client = pw_resource_get_client(resource);
-
-	pw_node_register(adapter, client, pw_module_get_global(d->module), NULL);
 	pw_node_add_listener(adapter, &nd->adapter_listener, &node_events, nd);
 
-	res = pw_global_bind(pw_node_get_global(adapter), client,
-			PW_PERM_RWX, PW_VERSION_NODE_PROXY, new_id);
-	if (res < 0)
-		goto error_bind;
+	client = resource ? pw_resource_get_client(resource): NULL;
 
-	if ((bound_resource = pw_client_find_resource(client, new_id)) == NULL)
-		goto error_bind;
+	pw_node_register(adapter, client, pw_module_get_global(d->module), NULL);
 
-	pw_resource_add_listener(bound_resource, &nd->resource_listener, &resource_events, nd);
+	if (client) {
+		struct pw_resource *bound_resource;
+
+		res = pw_global_bind(pw_node_get_global(adapter), client,
+				PW_PERM_RWX, PW_VERSION_NODE_PROXY, new_id);
+		if (res < 0)
+			goto error_bind;
+
+		if ((bound_resource = pw_client_find_resource(client, new_id)) == NULL)
+			goto error_bind;
+
+		pw_resource_add_listener(bound_resource, &nd->resource_listener, &resource_events, nd);
+	}
 
 	pw_node_set_active(adapter, true);
 
 	return adapter;
 
-error_resource:
-	res = -EINVAL;
-	pw_log_error("adapter needs a resource");
-	goto error_cleanup;
 error_properties:
 	res = -EINVAL;
 	pw_log_error("factory %p: usage: " FACTORY_USAGE, d->this);
@@ -234,6 +232,7 @@ static int module_init(struct pw_module *module, struct pw_properties *propertie
 
 	data = pw_factory_get_user_data(factory);
 	data->this = factory;
+	data->core = core;
 	data->module = module;
 	spa_list_init(&data->node_list);
 
diff --git a/src/modules/module-adapter/adapter.c b/src/modules/module-adapter/adapter.c
index 5cc18d4e8..634a9d42e 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-adapter/adapter.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-adapter/adapter.c
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ struct node {
 	struct pw_node *node;
 	struct spa_hook node_listener;
 
+	struct pw_node *slave;
+
 	void *user_data;
 	enum pw_direction direction;
 	struct pw_properties *props;
@@ -160,13 +162,14 @@ static void node_destroy(void *data)
 	struct node *n = data;
 	struct port *p, *tmp;
 
-	pw_properties_free(n->props);
 	spa_list_for_each_safe(p, tmp, &n->ports, link) {
 		pw_port_set_mix(p->port, NULL, 0);
 		spa_list_remove(&p->link);
 		spa_handle_clear(p->spa_handle);
 		free(p);
 	}
+	pw_node_destroy(n->slave);
+	pw_properties_free(n->props);
 }
 
 static void node_port_init(void *data, struct pw_port *port)
@@ -318,6 +321,7 @@ struct pw_node *pw_adapter_new(struct pw_core *core,
 	n = pw_spa_node_get_user_data(node);
 	n->core = core;
 	n->node = node;
+	n->slave = slave;
 	n->direction = direction;
 	n->props = props;
 	spa_list_init(&n->ports);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-adapter/floatmix.c b/src/modules/module-adapter/floatmix.c
index 5e665b9f3..eb65ef0d7 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-adapter/floatmix.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-adapter/floatmix.c
@@ -619,6 +619,9 @@ impl_node_port_set_io(void *object,
 
 	port = GET_PORT(this, direction, port_id);
 
+	spa_log_debug(this->log, NAME " %p: port %d:%d io %d %p/%zd", this,
+			direction, port_id, id, data, size);
+
 	switch (id) {
 	case SPA_IO_Buffers:
 		port->io = data;