diff --git a/spa/include/spa/graph/graph.h b/spa/include/spa/graph/graph.h
index 000ec80fa..ee4872457 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/graph/graph.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/graph/graph.h
@@ -65,10 +65,9 @@ static inline int spa_graph_link_trigger(struct spa_graph_link *link)
 	spa_debug("link %p: state %p: pending %d required %d", link, state,
                         state->pending, state->required);
 
-	if (state->pending != 0) {
-		if (__atomic_sub_fetch(&state->pending, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST) == 0)
-			spa_graph_link_signal(link);
-	}
+	if (__atomic_sub_fetch(&state->pending, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST) == 0)
+		spa_graph_link_signal(link);
+
         return state->status;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/node.c b/src/pipewire/node.c
index 9b65a9f51..d51b84eff 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/node.c
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 #include "pipewire/main-loop.h"
 #include "pipewire/work-queue.h"
 
-#define spa_debug pw_log_trace
-
 #include <spa/graph/graph-scheduler2.h>
 
 /** \cond */
@@ -616,11 +614,13 @@ static void node_event(void *data, struct spa_event *event)
 	spa_hook_list_call(&node->listener_list, struct pw_node_events, event, event);
 }
 
-void pw_node_process(struct pw_node *node, int status)
+static void node_process(void *data, int status)
 {
+	struct pw_node *node = data;
 	struct impl *impl = SPA_CONTAINER_OF(node, struct impl, this);
 
-	pw_log_trace("node %p: process driver:%d exported:%d", node, node->driver, node->exported);
+	pw_log_trace("node %p: process driver:%d exported:%d", node,
+			node->driver, node->exported);
 
 	spa_hook_list_call(&node->listener_list, struct pw_node_events, process);
 
@@ -645,12 +645,6 @@ void pw_node_process(struct pw_node *node, int status)
 		spa_graph_node_trigger(&node->rt.node);
 }
 
-static void node_process(void *data, int status)
-{
-	struct pw_node *node = data;
-	pw_node_process(node, status);
-}
-
 static void node_reuse_buffer(void *data, uint32_t port_id, uint32_t buffer_id)
 {
 	struct pw_node *node = data;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index b88306186..563acba03 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -624,8 +624,6 @@ int pw_node_initialized(struct pw_node *node);
 
 int pw_node_set_driver(struct pw_node *node, struct pw_node *driver);
 
-void pw_node_process(struct pw_node *node, int status);
-
 /** Prepare a link \memberof pw_link
   * Starts the negotiation of formats and buffers on \a link */
 int pw_link_prepare(struct pw_link *link);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.c b/src/pipewire/stream.c
index aa4faa391..daad4f26e 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.c
@@ -189,8 +189,6 @@ static inline int push_queue(struct stream *stream, struct queue *queue, struct
 	queue->ids[index & MASK_BUFFERS] = buffer->id;
 	spa_ringbuffer_write_update(&queue->ring, index + 1);
 
-	pw_log_trace("stream %p: queued buffer %d", stream, buffer->id);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -605,8 +603,10 @@ static int impl_port_use_buffers(struct spa_node *node, enum spa_direction direc
 		b->id = i;
 		b->this.buffer = buffers[i];
 
-		if (impl->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_OUTPUT)
+		if (impl->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_OUTPUT) {
+			pw_log_trace("stream %p: recycle buffer %d", stream, b->id);
 			push_queue(impl, &impl->dequeued, b);
+		}
 
 		spa_hook_list_call(&stream->listener_list, struct pw_stream_events,
 				add_buffer, &b->this);
@@ -653,7 +653,9 @@ static int impl_node_process_input(struct spa_node *node)
 
       done:
 	/* pop buffer to recycle */
-	b = pop_queue(impl, &impl->queued);
+	if ((b = pop_queue(impl, &impl->queued))) {
+		pw_log_trace("stream %p: recycle buffer %d", stream, b->id);
+	}
 
 	io->buffer_id = b ? b->id : SPA_ID_INVALID;
 	io->status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_BUFFER;
@@ -676,8 +678,10 @@ static int impl_node_process_output(struct spa_node *node)
 	res = 0;
 	if (io->status != SPA_STATUS_HAVE_BUFFER) {
 		/* recycle old buffer */
-		if ((b = get_buffer(stream, io->buffer_id)) != NULL)
+		if ((b = get_buffer(stream, io->buffer_id)) != NULL) {
+			pw_log_trace("stream %p: recycle buffer %d", stream, b->id);
 			push_queue(impl, &impl->dequeued, b);
+		}
 
 		/* pop new buffer */
 		if ((b = pop_queue(impl, &impl->queued)) != NULL) {