diff --git a/src/examples/audio-src.c b/src/examples/audio-src.c
index 03af12841..e8e3b6f9b 100644
--- a/src/examples/audio-src.c
+++ b/src/examples/audio-src.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	pw_stream_connect(data.stream,
 			  PW_DIRECTION_OUTPUT,
-			  argc > 1 ? argv[1] : NULL,
+			  argc > 1 ? atoi(argv[1]) : SPA_ID_INVALID,
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_AUTOCONNECT |
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_MAP_BUFFERS |
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_RT_PROCESS,
diff --git a/src/examples/video-play.c b/src/examples/video-play.c
index 0752b9fd8..69b92e361 100644
--- a/src/examples/video-play.c
+++ b/src/examples/video-play.c
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	pw_stream_connect(data.stream,
 			  PW_DIRECTION_INPUT,
-			  data.path,
+			  data.path ? atoi(data.path) : SPA_ID_INVALID,
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_AUTOCONNECT |
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_INACTIVE |
 			  PW_STREAM_FLAG_EXCLUSIVE |
diff --git a/src/examples/video-src.c b/src/examples/video-src.c
index f09b4a47a..c365ac79d 100644
--- a/src/examples/video-src.c
+++ b/src/examples/video-src.c
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ static void on_state_changed(void *_data, enum pw_remote_state old, enum pw_remo
 
 		pw_stream_connect(data->stream,
 				  PW_DIRECTION_OUTPUT,
-				  NULL, PW_STREAM_FLAG_DRIVER,
+				  SPA_ID_INVALID, PW_STREAM_FLAG_DRIVER,
 				  params, 1);
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/src/gst/gstpipewiresink.c b/src/gst/gstpipewiresink.c
index cd2aff85f..4a1d20283 100644
--- a/src/gst/gstpipewiresink.c
+++ b/src/gst/gstpipewiresink.c
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ gst_pipewire_sink_setcaps (GstBaseSink * bsink, GstCaps * caps)
 
     pw_stream_connect (pwsink->stream,
                           PW_DIRECTION_OUTPUT,
-                          pwsink->path,
+                          pwsink->path ? atoi(pwsink->path) : SPA_ID_INVALID,
                           flags,
                           (const struct spa_pod **) possible->pdata,
                           possible->len);
diff --git a/src/gst/gstpipewiresrc.c b/src/gst/gstpipewiresrc.c
index 1124a19d4..14ccbe3fa 100644
--- a/src/gst/gstpipewiresrc.c
+++ b/src/gst/gstpipewiresrc.c
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ gst_pipewire_src_negotiate (GstBaseSrc * basesrc)
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (basesrc, "connect capture with path %s", pwsrc->path);
   pw_stream_connect (pwsrc->stream,
                      PW_DIRECTION_INPUT,
-                     pwsrc->path,
+                     pwsrc->path ? atoi(pwsrc->path) : SPA_ID_INVALID,
                      PW_STREAM_FLAG_AUTOCONNECT,
                      (const struct spa_pod **)possible->pdata,
                      possible->len);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.c b/src/pipewire/stream.c
index 74037eca6..3a642c420 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.c
@@ -1062,7 +1062,7 @@ static void add_controls(struct pw_stream *stream)
 int
 pw_stream_connect(struct pw_stream *stream,
 		  enum pw_direction direction,
-		  const char *port_path,
+		  uint32_t target_id,
 		  enum pw_stream_flags flags,
 		  const struct spa_pod **params,
 		  uint32_t n_params)
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ pw_stream_connect(struct pw_stream *stream,
 	enum pw_remote_state state;
 	int i, res;
 
-	pw_log_debug("stream %p: connect path:%s", stream, port_path);
+	pw_log_debug("stream %p: connect target:%d", stream, target_id);
 	impl->direction =
 	    direction == PW_DIRECTION_INPUT ? SPA_DIRECTION_INPUT : SPA_DIRECTION_OUTPUT;
 	impl->flags = flags;
@@ -1084,8 +1084,8 @@ pw_stream_connect(struct pw_stream *stream,
 
 	stream_set_state(stream, PW_STREAM_STATE_CONNECTING, NULL);
 
-	if (port_path)
-		pw_properties_set(stream->properties, PW_NODE_PROP_TARGET_NODE, port_path);
+	if (target_id != SPA_ID_INVALID)
+		pw_properties_setf(stream->properties, PW_NODE_PROP_TARGET_NODE, "%d", target_id);
 	if (flags & PW_STREAM_FLAG_AUTOCONNECT)
 		pw_properties_set(stream->properties, PW_NODE_PROP_AUTOCONNECT, "1");
 	pw_properties_set(stream->properties, "node.stream", "1");
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.h b/src/pipewire/stream.h
index d698c6cdd..6786017e6 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.h
@@ -268,8 +268,9 @@ int pw_stream_update_properties(struct pw_stream *stream, const struct spa_dict
 int
 pw_stream_connect(struct pw_stream *stream,		/**< a \ref pw_stream */
 		  enum pw_direction direction,		/**< the stream direction */
-		  const char *port_path,		/**< the port path to connect to or NULL
-							  *  to let the server choose a port */
+		  uint32_t target_id,			/**< the target node to connect to or
+							  *  SPA_ID_INVALID to let the manager
+							  *  select a node. */
 		  enum pw_stream_flags flags,		/**< stream flags */
 		  const struct spa_pod **params,	/**< an array with params. The params
 							  *  should ideally contain supported