diff --git a/src/main/scala/devices/debug/Debug.scala b/src/main/scala/devices/debug/Debug.scala
index 60577171..37f85ff2 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/devices/debug/Debug.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/devices/debug/Debug.scala
@@ -392,15 +392,12 @@ class TLDebugModuleOuterAsync(device: Device)(implicit p: Parameters) extends La
   val dmiXbar = LazyModule (new TLXbar())
 
   val dmOuter = LazyModule( new TLDebugModuleOuter(device))
-  val intnode = IntIdentityNode()
+  val intnode = dmOuter.intnode
 
-  val dmiInnerNode = TLAsyncIdentityNode()
-
-  intnode :*= dmOuter.intnode
+  val dmiInnerNode = TLAsyncCrossingSource()(dmiXbar.node)
 
   dmiXbar.node := dmi2tl.node
   dmOuter.dmiNode := dmiXbar.node
-  dmiInnerNode := TLAsyncCrossingSource()(dmiXbar.node)
   
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) {
 
@@ -1006,12 +1003,12 @@ class TLDebugModuleInner(device: Device, getNComponents: () => Int)(implicit p:
 // Also is the Sink side of hartsel & resumereq fields of DMCONTROL.
 class TLDebugModuleInnerAsync(device: Device, getNComponents: () => Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule{
 
-  val dmInner = LazyModule(new TLDebugModuleInner(device, getNComponents)(p))
-  val dmiNode = TLAsyncIdentityNode()
-  val tlNode = TLIdentityNode()
+  val dmInner = LazyModule(new TLDebugModuleInner(device, getNComponents))
+  val dmiXing = LazyModule(new TLAsyncCrossingSink(depth=1))
+  val dmiNode: TLAsyncInwardNode = dmiXing.node
+  val tlNode = dmInner.tlNode
 
-  dmInner.dmiNode := TLAsyncCrossingSink(depth=1)(dmiNode)
-  dmInner.tlNode  := tlNode
+  dmInner.dmiNode := dmiXing.node
 
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) {
 
@@ -1041,15 +1038,13 @@ class TLDebugModule(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule {
     override val alwaysExtended = true
   }
 
-  val node = TLIdentityNode()
-  val intnode = IntIdentityNode()
-
   val dmOuter = LazyModule(new TLDebugModuleOuterAsync(device)(p))
   val dmInner = LazyModule(new TLDebugModuleInnerAsync(device, () => {intnode.edges.out.size})(p))
 
+  val node = dmInner.tlNode
+  val intnode = dmOuter.intnode
+
   dmInner.dmiNode := dmOuter.dmiInnerNode
-  dmInner.tlNode := node
-  intnode :*= dmOuter.intnode
 
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) {
     val nComponents = intnode.out.size
diff --git a/src/main/scala/devices/tilelink/BusBypass.scala b/src/main/scala/devices/tilelink/BusBypass.scala
index b93ffb97..4621074c 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/devices/tilelink/BusBypass.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/devices/tilelink/BusBypass.scala
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ abstract class TLBusBypassBase(beatBytes: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends L
   protected val everything = Seq(AddressSet(0, BigInt("ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff", 16))) // 128-bit
   protected val error = LazyModule(new TLError(ErrorParams(everything), beatBytes))
 
+  // order matters
   bar.node := nodeIn
   error.node := bar.node
   nodeOut := bar.node
diff --git a/src/main/scala/rocket/Frontend.scala b/src/main/scala/rocket/Frontend.scala
index ee224f53..7319e7ea 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/rocket/Frontend.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/rocket/Frontend.scala
@@ -56,12 +56,8 @@ class FrontendIO(implicit p: Parameters) extends CoreBundle()(p) {
 class Frontend(val icacheParams: ICacheParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule {
   lazy val module = new FrontendModule(this)
   val icache = LazyModule(new ICache(icacheParams, hartid))
-  val masterNode = TLIdentityNode()
-  val slaveNode = TLIdentityNode()
-
-  masterNode := icache.masterNode
-  // Avoid breaking tile dedup due to address constants in the monitor
-  DisableMonitors { implicit p => icache.slaveNode.map { _ := slaveNode } }
+  val masterNode = icache.masterNode
+  val slaveNode = icache.slaveNode
 }
 
 class FrontendBundle(outer: Frontend) extends CoreBundle()(outer.p)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/rocket/ICache.scala b/src/main/scala/rocket/ICache.scala
index c7c2fabb..8e03e1fe 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/rocket/ICache.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/rocket/ICache.scala
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ class ICache(val icacheParams: ICacheParams, val hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parame
 
   val size = icacheParams.nSets * icacheParams.nWays * icacheParams.blockBytes
   val device = new SimpleDevice("itim", Seq("sifive,itim0"))
-  val slaveNode = icacheParams.itimAddr.map { itimAddr =>
-    val wordBytes = icacheParams.fetchBytes
-    TLManagerNode(Seq(TLManagerPortParameters(
+  private val wordBytes = icacheParams.fetchBytes
+  val slaveNode =
+    TLManagerNode(icacheParams.itimAddr.toSeq.map { itimAddr => TLManagerPortParameters(
       Seq(TLManagerParameters(
         address         = Seq(AddressSet(itimAddr, size-1)),
         resources       = device.reg("mem"),
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ class ICache(val icacheParams: ICacheParams, val hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parame
         supportsGet     = TransferSizes(1, wordBytes),
         fifoId          = Some(0))), // requests handled in FIFO order
       beatBytes = wordBytes,
-      minLatency = 1)))
-  }
+      minLatency = 1)})
 }
 
 class ICacheResp(outer: ICache) extends Bundle {
@@ -110,9 +109,8 @@ class ICacheModule(outer: ICache) extends LazyModuleImp(outer)
   val io = IO(new ICacheBundle(outer))
   val (tl_out, edge_out) = outer.masterNode.out(0)
   // Option.unzip does not exist :-(
-  // val (tl_in, edge_in) = outer.slaveNode.map(_.in(0)).unzip
-  val tl_in   = outer.slaveNode.map(_.in(0)._1)
-  val edge_in = outer.slaveNode.map(_.in(0)._2)
+  val tl_in   = outer.slaveNode.in.headOption.map(_._1)
+  val edge_in = outer.slaveNode.in.headOption.map(_._2)
 
   val tECC = cacheParams.tagECC
   val dECC = cacheParams.dataECC
diff --git a/src/main/scala/tile/RocketTile.scala b/src/main/scala/tile/RocketTile.scala
index 710ce335..4b68c949 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/tile/RocketTile.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/tile/RocketTile.scala
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class RocketTile(val rocketParams: RocketTileParams, val hartid: Int)(implicit p
       val dtim = scratch.map(d => Map(
         "sifive,dtim"          -> ofRef(d.device))).getOrElse(Map())
 
-      val itim = if (!frontend.icache.slaveNode.isDefined) Map() else Map(
+      val itim = if (frontend.icache.slaveNode.edges.in.isEmpty) Map() else Map(
         "sifive,itim"          -> ofRef(frontend.icache.device))
 
       val icache = rocketParams.icache.map(i => Map(
@@ -181,12 +181,10 @@ class RocketTileModule(outer: RocketTile) extends BaseTileModule(outer, () => ne
 
 abstract class RocketTileWrapper(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule {
   val rocket = LazyModule(new RocketTile(rtp, hartid))
-  val masterNode: IdentityNode[_,_,_,_,_]
-  val slaveNode: IdentityNode[_,_,_,_,_]
-  val asyncIntNode   = IntIdentityNode()
-  val periphIntNode  = IntIdentityNode()
-  val coreIntNode    = IntIdentityNode()
-  val intOutputNode = rocket.intOutputNode.map(dummy => IntIdentityNode())
+  val asyncIntNode   : IntInwardNode
+  val periphIntNode  : IntInwardNode
+  val coreIntNode    : IntInwardNode
+  val intOutputNode = rocket.intOutputNode
   val intXbar = LazyModule(new IntXbar)
 
   rocket.intNode := intXbar.intnode
@@ -235,8 +233,7 @@ abstract class RocketTileWrapper(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p:
 }
 
 class SyncRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends RocketTileWrapper(rtp, hartid) {
-  val masterNode = TLIdentityNode()
-  masterNode :=* optionalMasterBuffer(rocket.masterNode)
+  val masterNode = optionalMasterBuffer(rocket.masterNode)
 
   val slaveNode = new TLIdentityNode() { override def reverse = true }
   DisableMonitors { implicit p => rocket.slaveNode :*= optionalSlaveBuffer(slaveNode) }
@@ -244,20 +241,23 @@ class SyncRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters)
   // Fully async interrupts need synchronizers.
   // Others need no synchronization.
   val xing = LazyModule(new IntXing(3))
-  xing.intnode := asyncIntNode
+  val asyncIntNode = xing.intnode
 
-  intXbar.intnode  := xing.intnode
-  intXbar.intnode  := periphIntNode
-  intXbar.intnode  := coreIntNode
+  val periphIntNode = IntIdentityNode()
+  val coreIntNode = IntIdentityNode()
+
+  // order here matters
+  intXbar.intnode := xing.intnode
+  intXbar.intnode := periphIntNode
+  intXbar.intnode := coreIntNode
 
   def outputInterruptXingLatency = 0
 }
 
 class AsyncRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends RocketTileWrapper(rtp, hartid) {
-  val masterNode = TLAsyncIdentityNode()
   val source = LazyModule(new TLAsyncCrossingSource)
   source.node :=* rocket.masterNode
-  masterNode :=* source.node
+  val masterNode = source.node
 
   val slaveNode = new TLAsyncIdentityNode() { override def reverse = true }
   val sink = LazyModule(new TLAsyncCrossingSink)
@@ -272,21 +272,22 @@ class AsyncRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters
   // Others need no synchronization.
   val asyncXing = LazyModule(new IntXing(3))
   val periphXing = LazyModule(new IntXing(3))
-  asyncXing.intnode := asyncIntNode
-  periphXing.intnode := periphIntNode
+  val asyncIntNode = asyncXing.intnode
+  val periphIntNode = periphXing.intnode
+  val coreIntNode = IntIdentityNode()
 
-  intXbar.intnode  := asyncXing.intnode
-  intXbar.intnode  := periphXing.intnode
-  intXbar.intnode  := coreIntNode
+  // order here matters
+  intXbar.intnode := asyncXing.intnode
+  intXbar.intnode := periphXing.intnode
+  intXbar.intnode := coreIntNode
 
   def outputInterruptXingLatency = 3
 }
 
 class RationalRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends RocketTileWrapper(rtp, hartid) {
-  val masterNode = TLRationalIdentityNode()
   val source = LazyModule(new TLRationalCrossingSource)
   source.node :=* optionalMasterBuffer(rocket.masterNode)
-  masterNode :=* source.node
+  val masterNode = source.node
 
   val slaveNode = new TLRationalIdentityNode() { override def reverse = true }
   val sink = LazyModule(new TLRationalCrossingSink(SlowToFast))
@@ -302,12 +303,14 @@ class RationalRocketTile(rtp: RocketTileParams, hartid: Int)(implicit p: Paramet
   // Others need no synchronization.
   val asyncXing    = LazyModule(new IntXing(3))
   val periphXing = LazyModule(new IntXing(1))
-  asyncXing.intnode := asyncIntNode
-  periphXing.intnode := periphIntNode
+  val asyncIntNode = asyncXing.intnode
+  val periphIntNode = periphXing.intnode
+  val coreIntNode = IntIdentityNode()
 
-  intXbar.intnode  := asyncXing.intnode
-  intXbar.intnode  := periphXing.intnode
-  intXbar.intnode  := coreIntNode
+  // order here matters
+  intXbar.intnode := asyncXing.intnode
+  intXbar.intnode := periphXing.intnode
+  intXbar.intnode := coreIntNode
 
   def outputInterruptXingLatency = 1
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/tilelink/AsyncCrossing.scala b/src/main/scala/tilelink/AsyncCrossing.scala
index f312f4e8..3e9c5c2f 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/tilelink/AsyncCrossing.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/tilelink/AsyncCrossing.scala
@@ -87,16 +87,11 @@ object TLAsyncCrossingSink
 
 class TLAsyncCrossing(depth: Int = 8, sync: Int = 3)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule
 {
-  val nodeIn = TLIdentityNode()
-  val nodeOut = TLIdentityNode()
-  val node = NodeHandle(nodeIn, nodeOut)
-
   val source = LazyModule(new TLAsyncCrossingSource(sync))
   val sink = LazyModule(new TLAsyncCrossingSink(depth, sync))
+  val node = NodeHandle(source.node, sink.node)
 
   sink.node := source.node
-  source.node := nodeIn
-  nodeOut := sink.node
 
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) {
     val io = IO(new Bundle {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/tilelink/Buffer.scala b/src/main/scala/tilelink/Buffer.scala
index 84e42d1d..bd35a614 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/tilelink/Buffer.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/tilelink/Buffer.scala
@@ -74,31 +74,25 @@ object TLBuffer
 }
 
 class TLBufferChain(depth: Int)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule {
-
-  val nodeIn = TLIdentityNode()
-  val nodeOut = TLIdentityNode()
-  val node = NodeHandle(nodeIn, nodeOut)
-
-  val buf_chain = if (depth > 0) {
-    val chain = List.fill(depth)(LazyModule(new TLBuffer(BufferParams.default)))
-
-    (chain.init zip chain.tail) foreach { case(prev, next) => next.node :=? prev.node }
-    chain
+  val buf_chain = List.fill(depth)(LazyModule(new TLBuffer(BufferParams.default)))
+  val node = if (depth > 0) {
+    (buf_chain.init zip buf_chain.tail) foreach { case (prev, next) => next.node :=? prev.node }
+    NodeHandle(buf_chain.head.node, buf_chain.last.node)
   } else {
-    List(LazyModule(new TLBuffer(BufferParams.none)))
+    TLIdentityNode()
   }
-
-  buf_chain.head.node :=? nodeIn
-  nodeOut :=? buf_chain.last.node
-
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) { }
 }
 
 object TLBufferChain
 {
   def apply(depth: Int)(x: TLOutwardNode)(implicit p: Parameters, sourceInfo: SourceInfo): TLOutwardNode = {
-    val buffer = LazyModule(new TLBufferChain(depth))
-    buffer.node :=? x
-    buffer.node
+    if (depth > 0) {
+      val buffer = LazyModule(new TLBufferChain(depth))
+      buffer.node :=? x
+      buffer.node
+    } else {
+      x
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/tilelink/Bus.scala b/src/main/scala/tilelink/Bus.scala
index b08fa109..4abbf5ab 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/tilelink/Bus.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/tilelink/Bus.scala
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ abstract class TLBusWrapper(params: TLBusParams, val busName: String)(implicit p
     SourceCardinality { implicit p =>
       val chain = LazyModule(new TLBufferChain(depth))
       name.foreach { n => chain.suggestName(s"${busName}_${n}_TLBufferChain")}
-      (chain.nodeIn, chain.nodeOut)
+      (chain.node, chain.node)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/tilelink/RationalCrossing.scala b/src/main/scala/tilelink/RationalCrossing.scala
index 008f000e..c448774d 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/tilelink/RationalCrossing.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/tilelink/RationalCrossing.scala
@@ -99,16 +99,11 @@ object TLRationalCrossingSink
 
 class TLRationalCrossing(direction: RationalDirection = Symmetric)(implicit p: Parameters) extends LazyModule
 {
-  val nodeIn = TLIdentityNode()
-  val nodeOut = TLIdentityNode()
-  val node = NodeHandle(nodeIn, nodeOut)
-
   val source = LazyModule(new TLRationalCrossingSource)
   val sink = LazyModule(new TLRationalCrossingSink(direction))
+  val node = NodeHandle(source.node, sink.node)
 
   sink.node := source.node
-  source.node := nodeIn
-  nodeOut := sink.node
 
   lazy val module = new LazyModuleImp(this) {
     val io = IO(new Bundle {