diff --git a/examples/hero/build.js b/examples/hero/build.js
index 828787b..dd39375 100644
--- a/examples/hero/build.js
+++ b/examples/hero/build.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ var view = function view(data) {
 
 window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
   var container = document.getElementById('container');
-  vnode = patch(snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(container), view(data));
+  vnode = patch(container, view(data));
   render();
 });
 
@@ -340,8 +340,6 @@ function emptyNodeAt(elm) {
 
 var emptyNode = VNode('', {}, [], undefined, undefined);
 
-var frag = document.createDocumentFragment();
-
 var insertedVnodeQueue;
 
 function sameVnode(vnode1, vnode2) {
@@ -365,26 +363,24 @@ function createRmCb(parentElm, childElm, listeners) {
   };
 }
 
+var hooks = ['create', 'update', 'remove', 'destroy', 'pre', 'post'];
+
 function init(modules) {
-  var createCbs = [];
-  var updateCbs = [];
-  var removeCbs = [];
-  var destroyCbs = [];
-  var preCbs = [];
-  var postCbs = [];
-
-  modules.forEach(function (module) {
-    if (module.create) createCbs.push(module.create);
-    if (module.update) updateCbs.push(module.update);
-    if (module.remove) removeCbs.push(module.remove);
-    if (module.destroy) destroyCbs.push(module.destroy);
-    if (module.pre) preCbs.push(module.pre);
-    if (module.post) postCbs.push(module.post);
+  var cbs = {};
+  hooks.forEach(function (hook) {
+    cbs[hook] = [];
+    modules.forEach(function (module) {
+      if (module[hook] !== undefined) cbs[hook].push(module[hook]);
+    });
   });
 
   function createElm(vnode) {
-    var i,
-        elm,
+    var i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.hook) && !isUndef(i = i.init)) {
+      i(vnode);
+    }
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) vnode = i;
+    var elm,
         children = vnode.children,
         sel = vnode.sel;
     if (!isUndef(sel)) {
@@ -404,7 +400,7 @@ function init(modules) {
       } else if (is.primitive(vnode.text)) {
         elm.appendChild(document.createTextNode(vnode.text));
       }
-      for (i = 0; i < createCbs.length; ++i) createCbs[i](emptyNode, vnode);
+      for (i = 0; i < cbs.create.length; ++i) cbs.create[i](emptyNode, vnode);
       i = vnode.data.hook; // Reuse variable
       if (!isUndef(i)) {
         if (i.create) i.create(vnode);
@@ -430,8 +426,10 @@ function init(modules) {
   }
 
   function invokeDestroyHook(vnode) {
-    var i, j;
-    for (i = 0; i < destroyCbs.length; ++i) destroyCbs[i](vnode);
+    var i = vnode.data.hook,
+        j;
+    if (!isUndef(i) && !isUndef(j = i.destroy)) j(vnode);
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.destroy.length; ++i) cbs.destroy[i](vnode);
     if (!isUndef(vnode.children)) {
       for (j = 0; j < vnode.children.length; ++j) {
         invokeDestroyHook(vnode.children[j]);
@@ -446,9 +444,9 @@ function init(modules) {
           rm,
           ch = vnodes[startIdx];
       if (!isUndef(ch)) {
-        listeners = removeCbs.length + 1;
+        listeners = cbs.remove.length + 1;
         rm = createRmCb(parentElm, ch.elm, listeners);
-        for (i = 0; i < removeCbs.length; ++i) removeCbs[i](ch, rm);
+        for (i = 0; i < cbs.remove.length; ++i) cbs.remove[i](ch, rm);
         invokeDestroyHook(ch);
         if (ch.data.hook && ch.data.hook.remove) {
           ch.data.hook.remove(ch, rm);
@@ -515,16 +513,24 @@ function init(modules) {
   }
 
   function patchVnode(oldVnode, vnode) {
-    var i,
-        elm = vnode.elm = oldVnode.elm,
+    var i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.hook) && !isUndef(i = i.patch)) {
+      i = i(oldVnode, vnode);
+    }
+    if (!isUndef(i = oldVnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) oldVnode = i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) vnode = i;
+    var elm = vnode.elm = oldVnode.elm,
         oldCh = oldVnode.children,
         ch = vnode.children;
+    if (oldVnode === vnode) return;
     if (!isUndef(vnode.data)) {
-      for (i = 0; i < updateCbs.length; ++i) updateCbs[i](oldVnode, vnode);
+      for (i = 0; i < cbs.update.length; ++i) cbs.update[i](oldVnode, vnode);
+      i = vnode.data.hook;
+      if (!isUndef(i) && !isUndef(i = i.update)) i(vnode);
     }
     if (isUndef(vnode.text)) {
       if (!isUndef(oldCh) && !isUndef(ch)) {
-        updateChildren(elm, oldCh, ch);
+        if (oldCh !== ch) updateChildren(elm, oldCh, ch);
       } else if (!isUndef(ch)) {
         addVnodes(elm, undefined, ch, 0, ch.length - 1);
       } else if (!isUndef(oldCh)) {
@@ -539,18 +545,21 @@ function init(modules) {
   return function (oldVnode, vnode) {
     var i;
     insertedVnodeQueue = [];
-    for (i = 0; i < preCbs.length; ++i) preCbs[i]();
+    if (oldVnode instanceof Element) {
+      oldVnode = emptyNodeAt(oldVnode);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.pre.length; ++i) cbs.pre[i]();
     patchVnode(oldVnode, vnode);
     for (i = 0; i < insertedVnodeQueue.length; ++i) {
       insertedVnodeQueue[i].data.hook.insert(insertedVnodeQueue[i]);
     }
     insertedVnodeQueue = undefined;
-    for (i = 0; i < postCbs.length; ++i) postCbs[i]();
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.post.length; ++i) cbs.post[i]();
     return vnode;
   };
 }
 
-module.exports = { init: init, emptyNodeAt: emptyNodeAt };
+module.exports = { init: init };
 
 },{"./is":3,"./vnode":9}],9:[function(require,module,exports){
 "use strict";
diff --git a/examples/hero/script.js b/examples/hero/script.js
index 2732fc8..61579c3 100644
--- a/examples/hero/script.js
+++ b/examples/hero/script.js
@@ -112,6 +112,6 @@ const view = (data) =>
 
 window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
   var container = document.getElementById('container');
-  vnode = patch(snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(container), view(data));
+  vnode = patch(container, view(data));
   render();
 });
diff --git a/examples/reorder-animation/build.js b/examples/reorder-animation/build.js
index a143f13..891ea19 100644
--- a/examples/reorder-animation/build.js
+++ b/examples/reorder-animation/build.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ function view(data) {
 
 window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
   var container = document.getElementById('container');
-  vnode = patch(snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(container), view(data));
+  vnode = patch(container, view(data));
   render();
 });
 
@@ -284,8 +284,6 @@ function emptyNodeAt(elm) {
 
 var emptyNode = VNode('', {}, [], undefined, undefined);
 
-var frag = document.createDocumentFragment();
-
 var insertedVnodeQueue;
 
 function sameVnode(vnode1, vnode2) {
@@ -309,26 +307,24 @@ function createRmCb(parentElm, childElm, listeners) {
   };
 }
 
+var hooks = ['create', 'update', 'remove', 'destroy', 'pre', 'post'];
+
 function init(modules) {
-  var createCbs = [];
-  var updateCbs = [];
-  var removeCbs = [];
-  var destroyCbs = [];
-  var preCbs = [];
-  var postCbs = [];
-
-  modules.forEach(function (module) {
-    if (module.create) createCbs.push(module.create);
-    if (module.update) updateCbs.push(module.update);
-    if (module.remove) removeCbs.push(module.remove);
-    if (module.destroy) destroyCbs.push(module.destroy);
-    if (module.pre) preCbs.push(module.pre);
-    if (module.post) postCbs.push(module.post);
+  var cbs = {};
+  hooks.forEach(function (hook) {
+    cbs[hook] = [];
+    modules.forEach(function (module) {
+      if (module[hook] !== undefined) cbs[hook].push(module[hook]);
+    });
   });
 
   function createElm(vnode) {
-    var i,
-        elm,
+    var i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.hook) && !isUndef(i = i.init)) {
+      i(vnode);
+    }
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) vnode = i;
+    var elm,
         children = vnode.children,
         sel = vnode.sel;
     if (!isUndef(sel)) {
@@ -348,7 +344,7 @@ function init(modules) {
       } else if (is.primitive(vnode.text)) {
         elm.appendChild(document.createTextNode(vnode.text));
       }
-      for (i = 0; i < createCbs.length; ++i) createCbs[i](emptyNode, vnode);
+      for (i = 0; i < cbs.create.length; ++i) cbs.create[i](emptyNode, vnode);
       i = vnode.data.hook; // Reuse variable
       if (!isUndef(i)) {
         if (i.create) i.create(vnode);
@@ -374,8 +370,10 @@ function init(modules) {
   }
 
   function invokeDestroyHook(vnode) {
-    var i, j;
-    for (i = 0; i < destroyCbs.length; ++i) destroyCbs[i](vnode);
+    var i = vnode.data.hook,
+        j;
+    if (!isUndef(i) && !isUndef(j = i.destroy)) j(vnode);
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.destroy.length; ++i) cbs.destroy[i](vnode);
     if (!isUndef(vnode.children)) {
       for (j = 0; j < vnode.children.length; ++j) {
         invokeDestroyHook(vnode.children[j]);
@@ -390,9 +388,9 @@ function init(modules) {
           rm,
           ch = vnodes[startIdx];
       if (!isUndef(ch)) {
-        listeners = removeCbs.length + 1;
+        listeners = cbs.remove.length + 1;
         rm = createRmCb(parentElm, ch.elm, listeners);
-        for (i = 0; i < removeCbs.length; ++i) removeCbs[i](ch, rm);
+        for (i = 0; i < cbs.remove.length; ++i) cbs.remove[i](ch, rm);
         invokeDestroyHook(ch);
         if (ch.data.hook && ch.data.hook.remove) {
           ch.data.hook.remove(ch, rm);
@@ -459,16 +457,24 @@ function init(modules) {
   }
 
   function patchVnode(oldVnode, vnode) {
-    var i,
-        elm = vnode.elm = oldVnode.elm,
+    var i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.hook) && !isUndef(i = i.patch)) {
+      i = i(oldVnode, vnode);
+    }
+    if (!isUndef(i = oldVnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) oldVnode = i;
+    if (!isUndef(i = vnode.data) && !isUndef(i = i.vnode)) vnode = i;
+    var elm = vnode.elm = oldVnode.elm,
         oldCh = oldVnode.children,
         ch = vnode.children;
+    if (oldVnode === vnode) return;
     if (!isUndef(vnode.data)) {
-      for (i = 0; i < updateCbs.length; ++i) updateCbs[i](oldVnode, vnode);
+      for (i = 0; i < cbs.update.length; ++i) cbs.update[i](oldVnode, vnode);
+      i = vnode.data.hook;
+      if (!isUndef(i) && !isUndef(i = i.update)) i(vnode);
     }
     if (isUndef(vnode.text)) {
       if (!isUndef(oldCh) && !isUndef(ch)) {
-        updateChildren(elm, oldCh, ch);
+        if (oldCh !== ch) updateChildren(elm, oldCh, ch);
       } else if (!isUndef(ch)) {
         addVnodes(elm, undefined, ch, 0, ch.length - 1);
       } else if (!isUndef(oldCh)) {
@@ -483,18 +489,21 @@ function init(modules) {
   return function (oldVnode, vnode) {
     var i;
     insertedVnodeQueue = [];
-    for (i = 0; i < preCbs.length; ++i) preCbs[i]();
+    if (oldVnode instanceof Element) {
+      oldVnode = emptyNodeAt(oldVnode);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.pre.length; ++i) cbs.pre[i]();
     patchVnode(oldVnode, vnode);
     for (i = 0; i < insertedVnodeQueue.length; ++i) {
       insertedVnodeQueue[i].data.hook.insert(insertedVnodeQueue[i]);
     }
     insertedVnodeQueue = undefined;
-    for (i = 0; i < postCbs.length; ++i) postCbs[i]();
+    for (i = 0; i < cbs.post.length; ++i) cbs.post[i]();
     return vnode;
   };
 }
 
-module.exports = { init: init, emptyNodeAt: emptyNodeAt };
+module.exports = { init: init };
 
 },{"./is":3,"./vnode":9}],9:[function(require,module,exports){
 "use strict";
diff --git a/examples/reorder-animation/script.js b/examples/reorder-animation/script.js
index db061ac..a935b5f 100644
--- a/examples/reorder-animation/script.js
+++ b/examples/reorder-animation/script.js
@@ -107,6 +107,6 @@ function view(data) {
 
 window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
   var container = document.getElementById('container');
-  vnode = patch(snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(container), view(data));
+  vnode = patch(container, view(data));
   render();
 });
diff --git a/snabbdom.js b/snabbdom.js
index 3462c9b..e03a27b 100644
--- a/snabbdom.js
+++ b/snabbdom.js
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@ function init(modules) {
   return function(oldVnode, vnode) {
     var i;
     insertedVnodeQueue = [];
+    if (oldVnode instanceof Element) {
+      oldVnode = emptyNodeAt(oldVnode);
+    }
     for (i = 0; i < cbs.pre.length; ++i) cbs.pre[i]();
     patchVnode(oldVnode, vnode);
     for (i = 0; i < insertedVnodeQueue.length; ++i) {
@@ -215,4 +218,4 @@ function init(modules) {
   };
 }
 
-module.exports = {init: init, emptyNodeAt: emptyNodeAt};
+module.exports = {init: init};
diff --git a/test/core.js b/test/core.js
index c26da93..c9a865f 100644
--- a/test/core.js
+++ b/test/core.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ describe('snabbdom', function() {
   var elm, vnode0;
   beforeEach(function() {
     elm = document.createElement('div');
-    vnode0 = snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(elm);
+    vnode0 = elm;
   });
   describe('hyperscript', function() {
     it('can create vnode with proper tag', function() {
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ describe('snabbdom', function() {
       var vnode = h('a', {}, 'I am a string');
       assert.equal(vnode.text, 'I am a string');
     });
-    it('can create empty vnode at element', function() {
-      assert.equal(vnode0.elm, elm);
-    });
   });
   describe('created element', function() {
     it('has tag', function() {
@@ -314,7 +311,7 @@ describe('snabbdom', function() {
           }));
           var shufArr = shuffle(arr.slice(0));
           var elm = document.createElement('div');
-          patch(snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(elm), vnode1);
+          patch(elm, vnode1);
           for (i = 0; i < elms; ++i) {
             assert.equal(elm.children[i].innerHTML, i.toString());
             opacities[i] = Math.random().toFixed(5).toString();
diff --git a/test/style.js b/test/style.js
index c6a3c2c..e3af482 100644
--- a/test/style.js
+++ b/test/style.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ describe('style', function() {
   var elm, vnode0;
   beforeEach(function() {
     elm = document.createElement('div');
-    vnode0 = snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(elm);
+    vnode0 = elm;
   });
   it('is being styled', function() {
     patch(vnode0, h('div', {style: {fontSize: '12px'}}));
diff --git a/test/thunk.js b/test/thunk.js
index 1d3962a..ade371d 100644
--- a/test/thunk.js
+++ b/test/thunk.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ describe('thunk', function() {
   var elm, vnode0;
   beforeEach(function() {
     elm = document.createElement('div');
-    vnode0 = snabbdom.emptyNodeAt(elm);
+    vnode0 = elm;
   });
   it('returns vnode with data and render function', function() {
     function numberInSpan(n) {