diff --git a/include/proto/backend.h b/include/proto/backend.h
index 0e39d035c..97b11d648 100644
--- a/include/proto/backend.h
+++ b/include/proto/backend.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include <types/stream.h>
 
 int assign_server(struct stream *s);
-int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn);
+int assign_server_address(struct stream *s);
 int assign_server_and_queue(struct stream *s);
 int connect_server(struct stream *s);
 int srv_redispatch_connect(struct stream *t);
diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index a20150a3e..1002425a2 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -815,18 +815,14 @@ out_ok:
  *
  * Upon successful return, the stream flag SF_ADDR_SET is set. This flag is
  * not cleared, so it's to the caller to clear it if required.
- *
- * The caller is responsible for having already assigned a connection
- * to si->end.
- *
  */
-int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn)
+int assign_server_address(struct stream *s)
 {
 	struct connection *cli_conn = objt_conn(strm_orig(s));
 
 	DPRINTF(stderr,"assign_server_address : s=%p\n",s);
 
-	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&srv_conn->dst))
+	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&s->target_addr))
 		return SRV_STATUS_INTERNAL;
 
 	if ((s->flags & SF_DIRECT) || (s->be->lbprm.algo & BE_LB_KIND)) {
@@ -834,10 +830,10 @@ int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn)
 		if (!(s->flags & SF_ASSIGNED))
 			return SRV_STATUS_INTERNAL;
 
-		*srv_conn->dst = __objt_server(s->target)->addr;
-		set_host_port(srv_conn->dst, __objt_server(s->target)->svc_port);
+		*s->target_addr = __objt_server(s->target)->addr;
+		set_host_port(s->target_addr, __objt_server(s->target)->svc_port);
 
-		if (!is_addr(srv_conn->dst) && cli_conn) {
+		if (!is_addr(s->target_addr) && cli_conn) {
 			/* if the server has no address, we use the same address
 			 * the client asked, which is handy for remapping ports
 			 * locally on multiple addresses at once. Nothing is done
@@ -846,9 +842,9 @@ int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn)
 			if (!conn_get_dst(cli_conn)) {
 				/* do nothing if we can't retrieve the address */
 			} else if (cli_conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET) {
-				((struct sockaddr_in *)srv_conn->dst)->sin_addr = ((struct sockaddr_in *)cli_conn->dst)->sin_addr;
+				((struct sockaddr_in *)s->target_addr)->sin_addr = ((struct sockaddr_in *)cli_conn->dst)->sin_addr;
 			} else if (cli_conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET6) {
-				((struct sockaddr_in6 *)srv_conn->dst)->sin6_addr = ((struct sockaddr_in6 *)cli_conn->dst)->sin6_addr;
+				((struct sockaddr_in6 *)s->target_addr)->sin6_addr = ((struct sockaddr_in6 *)cli_conn->dst)->sin6_addr;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -862,20 +858,20 @@ int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn)
 				base_port = get_host_port(cli_conn->dst);
 
 				/* Second, assign the outgoing connection's port */
-				base_port += get_host_port(srv_conn->dst);
-				set_host_port(srv_conn->dst, base_port);
+				base_port += get_host_port(s->target_addr);
+				set_host_port(s->target_addr, base_port);
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	else if (s->be->options & PR_O_DISPATCH) {
 		/* connect to the defined dispatch addr */
-		*srv_conn->dst = s->be->dispatch_addr;
+		*s->target_addr = s->be->dispatch_addr;
 	}
 	else if ((s->be->options & PR_O_TRANSP) && cli_conn) {
 		/* in transparent mode, use the original dest addr if no dispatch specified */
 		if (conn_get_dst(cli_conn) &&
 		    (cli_conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET || cli_conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET6))
-			*srv_conn->dst = *cli_conn->dst;
+			*s->target_addr = *cli_conn->dst;
 	}
 	else if (s->be->options & PR_O_HTTP_PROXY) {
 		/* If HTTP PROXY option is set, then server is already assigned
@@ -886,9 +882,6 @@ int assign_server_address(struct stream *s, struct connection *srv_conn)
 		return SRV_STATUS_INTERNAL;
 	}
 
-	/* Copy network namespace from client connection */
-	srv_conn->proxy_netns = cli_conn ? cli_conn->proxy_netns : NULL;
-
 	s->flags |= SF_ADDR_SET;
 	return SRV_STATUS_OK;
 }
@@ -1146,7 +1139,7 @@ fail:
  */
 int connect_server(struct stream *s)
 {
-	struct connection *cli_conn = NULL;
+	struct connection *cli_conn = objt_conn(strm_orig(s));
 	struct connection *srv_conn = NULL;
 	struct connection *old_conn = NULL;
 	struct conn_stream *srv_cs = NULL;
@@ -1417,15 +1410,21 @@ int connect_server(struct stream *s)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!srv_conn)
+	if (!srv_conn || !sockaddr_alloc(&srv_conn->dst))
 		return SF_ERR_RESOURCE;
 
 	if (!(s->flags & SF_ADDR_SET)) {
-		err = assign_server_address(s, srv_conn);
+		err = assign_server_address(s);
 		if (err != SRV_STATUS_OK)
 			return SF_ERR_INTERNAL;
 	}
 
+	/* copy the target address into the connection */
+	*srv_conn->dst = *s->target_addr;
+
+	/* Copy network namespace from client connection */
+	srv_conn->proxy_netns = cli_conn ? cli_conn->proxy_netns : NULL;
+
 	if (!conn_xprt_ready(srv_conn) && !srv_conn->mux) {
 		/* set the correct protocol on the output stream interface */
 		if (srv)
@@ -1468,11 +1467,8 @@ int connect_server(struct stream *s)
 		}
 
 #endif
-
-
 		/* process the case where the server requires the PROXY protocol to be sent */
 		srv_conn->send_proxy_ofs = 0;
-		cli_conn = objt_conn(strm_orig(s));
 
 		if (srv && srv->pp_opts) {
 			srv_conn->flags |= CO_FL_PRIVATE;
@@ -1631,6 +1627,7 @@ int srv_redispatch_connect(struct stream *s)
 		if (((s->flags & (SF_DIRECT|SF_FORCE_PRST)) == SF_DIRECT) &&
 		    (s->be->options & PR_O_REDISP)) {
 			s->flags &= ~(SF_DIRECT | SF_ASSIGNED | SF_ADDR_SET);
+			sockaddr_free(&s->target_addr);
 			goto redispatch;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index ce33f60a3..ab4d3690a 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -2319,6 +2319,8 @@ int pcli_wait_for_response(struct stream *s, struct channel *rep, int an_bit)
 			s->srv_conn = NULL;
 		}
 
+		sockaddr_free(&s->target_addr);
+
 		s->si[1].state     = s->si[1].prev_state = SI_ST_INI;
 		s->si[1].err_type  = SI_ET_NONE;
 		s->si[1].conn_retries = 0;  /* used for logging too */
diff --git a/src/hlua.c b/src/hlua.c
index 49f056c39..3b58dc037 100644
--- a/src/hlua.c
+++ b/src/hlua.c
@@ -2440,6 +2440,8 @@ __LJMP static int hlua_socket_connect(struct lua_State *L)
 	si = appctx->owner;
 	s = si_strm(si);
 
+	/* FIXME WTA: the conn-specific code below should now be useless */
+
 	/* Initialise connection. */
 	conn = cs_conn(si_alloc_cs(&s->si[1], NULL));
 	if (!conn) {
@@ -2461,6 +2463,23 @@ __LJMP static int hlua_socket_connect(struct lua_State *L)
 		WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: port ranges not supported : address '%s'", ip));
 	}
 
+	/* Set port. */
+	if (low == 0) {
+		if (addr->ss_family == AF_INET) {
+			if (port == -1) {
+				xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
+				WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: port missing"));
+			}
+			((struct sockaddr_in *)addr)->sin_port = htons(port);
+		} else if (addr->ss_family == AF_INET6) {
+			if (port == -1) {
+				xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
+				WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: port missing"));
+			}
+			((struct sockaddr_in6 *)addr)->sin6_port = htons(port);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&conn->dst)) {
 		xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
 		WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: internal error"));
@@ -2468,22 +2487,11 @@ __LJMP static int hlua_socket_connect(struct lua_State *L)
 
 	memcpy(conn->dst, addr, sizeof(struct sockaddr_storage));
 
-	/* Set port. */
-	if (low == 0) {
-		if (conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET) {
-			if (port == -1) {
-				xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
-				WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: port missing"));
-			}
-			((struct sockaddr_in *)conn->dst)->sin_port = htons(port);
-		} else if (conn->dst->ss_family == AF_INET6) {
-			if (port == -1) {
-				xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
-				WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: port missing"));
-			}
-			((struct sockaddr_in6 *)conn->dst)->sin6_port = htons(port);
-		}
+	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&s->target_addr)) {
+		xref_unlock(&socket->xref, peer);
+		WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: internal error"));
 	}
+	*s->target_addr = *addr;
 
 	hlua = hlua_gethlua(L);
 	appctx = __objt_appctx(s->si[0].end);
diff --git a/src/http_ana.c b/src/http_ana.c
index 782c1689d..504f98a91 100644
--- a/src/http_ana.c
+++ b/src/http_ana.c
@@ -732,17 +732,13 @@ int http_process_request(struct stream *s, struct channel *req, int an_bit)
 
 	/*
 	 * If HTTP PROXY is set we simply get remote server address parsing
-	 * incoming request. Note that this requires that a connection is
-	 * allocated on the server side.
+	 * incoming request.
 	 */
 	if ((s->be->options & PR_O_HTTP_PROXY) && !(s->flags & SF_ADDR_SET)) {
-		struct connection *conn;
 		struct htx_sl *sl;
 		struct ist uri, path;
 
-		/* Note that for now we don't reuse existing proxy connections */
-		if (unlikely((conn = cs_conn(si_alloc_cs(&s->si[1], NULL))) == NULL ||
-			     !sockaddr_alloc(&conn->dst))) {
+		if (!sockaddr_alloc(&s->target_addr)) {
 			txn->req.err_state = txn->req.msg_state;
 			txn->req.msg_state = HTTP_MSG_ERROR;
 			txn->status = 500;
@@ -760,9 +756,12 @@ int http_process_request(struct stream *s, struct channel *req, int an_bit)
 		uri = htx_sl_req_uri(sl);
 		path = http_get_path(uri);
 
-		if (url2sa(uri.ptr, uri.len - path.len, conn->dst, NULL) == -1)
+		if (url2sa(uri.ptr, uri.len - path.len, s->target_addr, NULL) == -1)
 			goto return_bad_req;
 
+		s->target = &s->be->obj_type;
+		s->flags |= SF_ADDR_SET | SF_ASSIGNED;
+
 		/* if the path was found, we have to remove everything between
 		 * uri.ptr and path.ptr (excluded). If it was not found, we need
 		 * to replace from all the uri by a single "/".
@@ -772,7 +771,6 @@ int http_process_request(struct stream *s, struct channel *req, int an_bit)
 		 * insignificant.
 		 */
 		istcpy(&uri, (path.len ? path : ist("/")), uri.len);
-		conn->target = &s->be->obj_type;
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index 8fa6a8e4a..6d66553c6 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -2525,9 +2525,15 @@ static struct appctx *peer_session_create(struct peers *peers, struct peer *peer
 	appctx_wakeup(appctx);
 
 	/* initiate an outgoing connection */
+	s->target = peer_session_target(peer, s);
+	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&s->target_addr))
+		goto out_free_strm;
+	*s->target_addr = peer->addr;
 	s->si[1].flags |= SI_FL_NOLINGER;
 	si_set_state(&s->si[1], SI_ST_ASS);
 
+	/* FIXME WTA: the connection below should now be totally useless */
+
 	/* automatically prepare the stream interface to connect to the
 	 * pre-initialized connection in si->conn.
 	 */
@@ -2537,7 +2543,7 @@ static struct appctx *peer_session_create(struct peers *peers, struct peer *peer
 	if (unlikely((cs = cs_new(conn)) == NULL))
 		goto out_free_conn;
 
-	conn->target = s->target = peer_session_target(peer, s);
+	conn->target = s->target;
 
 	if (!sockaddr_alloc(&conn->dst))
 		goto out_free_cs;