diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/core/core_device.h b/src/lib/netlist/core/core_device.h
index e1df57deb50..db5f922ad13 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/core/core_device.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/core/core_device.h
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ namespace netlist
 
 		log_type & log();
 
+		void handler_noop()
+		{
+		}
+
 	public:
 		virtual void timestep(timestep_type ts_type, nl_fptype st) noexcept { plib::unused_var(ts_type, st); }
 		virtual void update_terminals() noexcept { }
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/core/device_macros.h b/src/lib/netlist/core/device_macros.h
index 127447e194a..17d70d7d710 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/core/device_macros.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/core/device_macros.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ class NETLIB_NAME(name) : public delegator_t<base_device_t>
 	void NETLIB_NAME(cname) :: timestep(timestep_type ts_type, nl_fptype step) noexcept
 
 #define NETLIB_DELEGATE(name) nldelegate(&this_type :: name, this)
+#define NETLIB_DELEGATE_NOOP() nldelegate(&core_device_t::handler_noop, static_cast<core_device_t *>(this))
 
 #define NETLIB_UPDATE_TERMINALSI() virtual void update_terminals() noexcept override
 #define NETLIB_HANDLERI(name) void name() noexcept
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/core/devices.h b/src/lib/netlist/core/devices.h
index de4b11b994a..f14832aa0b7 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/core/devices.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/core/devices.h
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ namespace netlist
 		{
 		public:
 			NETLIB_CONSTRUCTOR(nc_pin)
-			, m_I(*this, "I", NETLIB_DELEGATE(noop))
+			, m_I(*this, "I", NETLIB_DELEGATE_NOOP())
 			{
 			}
 
@@ -146,10 +146,6 @@ namespace netlist
 			//NETLIB_RESETI() {}
 
 		private:
-			NETLIB_HANDLERI(noop)
-			{
-			}
-
 			analog_input_t m_I;
 
 		};
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_74165.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_74165.cpp
index 527e4605bef..1da604aef36 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_74165.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_74165.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace netlist
 	{
 		NETLIB_CONSTRUCTOR(74165)
 		, m_DATA(*this, { "H", "G", "F", "E", "D", "C", "B", "A" }, NETLIB_DELEGATE(inputs))
-		, m_SER(*this, "SER", NETLIB_DELEGATE(noop))
+		, m_SER(*this, "SER", NETLIB_DELEGATE_NOOP())
 		, m_SH_LDQ(*this, "SH_LDQ", NETLIB_DELEGATE(inputs))
 		, m_CLK(*this, "CLK", NETLIB_DELEGATE(clk))
 		, m_CLKINH(*this, "CLKINH", NETLIB_DELEGATE(inputs))
@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ namespace netlist
 			m_shifter = 0;
 		}
 
-		NETLIB_HANDLERI(noop)
-		{
-		}
-
 		NETLIB_HANDLERI(clk)
 		{
 			unsigned high_bit = m_SER() ? 0x80 : 0;
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_7497.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_7497.cpp
index 4fdf282a9fd..6f5f30e8811 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_7497.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/devices/nld_7497.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ namespace netlist
 	static constexpr const std::array<netlist_time, 2> out_delay_CLK_Y = { NLTIME_FROM_NS(20), NLTIME_FROM_NS(26) }; // tPHL, tPLH
 	static constexpr const std::array<netlist_time, 2> out_delay_CLK_Z = { NLTIME_FROM_NS(17), NLTIME_FROM_NS(12) };
 
+	// FIXME: room for improvement -> clock handling
+
 	NETLIB_OBJECT(7497)
 	{
 		NETLIB_CONSTRUCTOR(7497)
@@ -76,8 +78,6 @@ namespace netlist
 			m_lastclock = 0;
 		}
 
-		NETLIB_HANDLERI(noop) { }
-
 		NETLIB_HANDLERI(unity)
 		{
 			newstate (m_state);
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
index 9cb12d06668..f4aaaa930cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
@@ -332,9 +332,10 @@ namespace netlist
 				std::vector<const nldelegate *> t;
 				log().verbose("Using default startup strategy");
 				for (auto &n : m_nets)
+				{
+					n->update_inputs(); // only used if USE_COPY_INSTEAD_OF_REFERENCE == 1
 					for (auto & term : n->core_terms())
 					{
-						n->update_inputs(); // only used if USE_COPY_INSTEAD_OF_REFERENCE == 1
 						if (!plib::container::contains(t, &term->delegate()))
 						{
 							t.push_back(&term->delegate());
@@ -345,6 +346,7 @@ namespace netlist
 						if (!plib::container::contains(devices_called, dev))
 							devices_called.push_back(dev);
 					}
+				}
 				log().verbose("Devices not yet updated:");
 				for (auto &dev : m_devices)
 					if (!plib::container::contains(devices_called, dev.second.get()))
@@ -747,8 +749,6 @@ namespace netlist
 			nldelegate delegate)
 			: logic_t(dev, aname, STATE_INP_ACTIVE, delegate)
 	{
-		if (!delegate.is_set())
-			throw nl_exception("delegate not set for {1}", this->name());
 		state().setup().register_term(*this);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
index 70860747f93..06ad0619cc7 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
@@ -1688,12 +1688,15 @@ void setup_t::prepare_to_run()
 	}
 
 	for (auto &n : m_nlstate.nets())
+	{
 		for (auto & term : n->core_terms())
-			if (!term->delegate().is_set())
+			if (!term->delegate())
 			{
 				log().fatal(MF_DELEGATE_NOT_SET_1(term->name()));
 				throw nl_exception(MF_DELEGATE_NOT_SET_1(term->name()));
 			}
+		n->rebuild_list();
+	}
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/plib/ppmf.h b/src/lib/netlist/plib/ppmf.h
index 13d627dd2a1..e86c94ff4c9 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/plib/ppmf.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/plib/ppmf.h
@@ -368,8 +368,6 @@ namespace plib {
 			bind<const_specific_member_function<O>>(object, &mftp);
 		}
 
-		bool is_set() const noexcept { return m_resolved != nullptr; }
-
 		generic_class *object() const noexcept { return m_obj; }
 		bool has_object() const noexcept { return m_obj != nullptr; }
 
@@ -384,6 +382,7 @@ namespace plib {
 			return this->call(std::forward<Targs>(args)...);
 		}
 
+		operator bool() const noexcept { return m_resolved != nullptr; }
 	private:
 		template<typename SPC, typename O, typename MF>
 		void bind(O * object, MF *fraw)