diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/common_hipadaba_configuration.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/common_hipadaba_configuration.tcl
index 94b3597b..1c404db2 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/common_hipadaba_configuration.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/common_hipadaba_configuration.tcl
@@ -1,26 +1,49 @@
 # Defines hashes which map SICS device object names to hipadaba paths
 InstallHdb
+#Usage: xhmake /a/b spy none {type part}
+proc xhmake {path priv dtype pKey pVal} {
+  global pathlist;
+  if {[info exists pathlist($path)] == 0} {
+    set basepath "";
+    foreach p [split [string trimleft $path / ] / ] {
+      if {[info exists pathlist($basepath/$p)] == 1} {
+        append basepath /$p;
+        continue;
+      }
+      hmake $basepath/$p $priv $dtype;
+      hsetprop $basepath/$p $pKey $pVal;
+      set pathlist($basepath/$p) 1;
+      append basepath /$p;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 hmake /commands spy none
 hsetprop /commands type commandset
+set pathlist(/commands) 1
 
 #TODO change this to hparts.tcl
 source $cfPath(hipadaba)/hpaths.tcl 
 set instrument [string tolower [SplitReply [Instrument]] ]
 hmake /$instrument spy none
 hsetprop /$instrument type instrument
+set pathlist(/$instrument) 1
 
 # Generate hipadaba nodes for the paths in the hpaths file
 foreach hp $hpaths {
   hmake /$instrument/$hp spy none;
   hsetprop /$instrument/$hp type part;
+  set pathlist(/$instrument/$hp) 1;
 }
 
 #--- admin
 hmake /experiment user none
+set pathlist(/experiment) 1
 hattach /experiment title title
 hattach /experiment sample description
 hmake /experiment/user spy none
 hsetprop /experiment/user type part
+set pathlist(/experiment/user) 1
 hattach /experiment/user user name
 hattach /experiment/user email email
 hattach /experiment/user phone phone
@@ -42,22 +65,17 @@ foreach motor [sicslist type motor] {
   foreach {type group} [split $mpart .] {};
   set path $mot_Pdic($type);
   if {$group != ""} {
-    if {[info exists pathlist(/$instrument/$path/$group)] == 0} {
-      hmake /$instrument/$path/$group spy none;
-      hsetprop /$instrument/$path/$group type part; 
-      set pathlist(/$instrument/$path/$group) 1;
-    }
-    hattach /$instrument/$path/$group $motor [SplitReply [$motor long_name]];
-  } else {
-    hattach /$instrument/$path $motor [SplitReply [$motor long_name]];
-  }
+    append path /$group;
+  } 
+  xhmake /$instrument/$path spy none type part;
+  hattach /$instrument/$path $motor [SplitReply [$motor long_name]];
 }
 
 #--- Configurable Virtual Motors
 foreach {obj name part master_obj} $cvirtmotor_hpath {
   set path /$instrument/$part
   hattach $path $obj $name
-  hchain $path/$name $path/$master_obj
+  sicspoll add $path/$name hdb 2
 }
 
 #------------- scan command