diff --git a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/actuation_receiver.py b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/actuation_receiver.py
index 79a38ef..ca004f6 100644
--- a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/actuation_receiver.py
+++ b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/actuation_receiver.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import logging
-import sys
 
 import zmq
 
@@ -17,32 +16,10 @@ class ActuationReceiver(ReceiverBase):
         :param port: The port to use.
         :type port: int
         """
-        super(ActuationReceiver, self).__init__("actuation", "json")
-        self.create_socket(zmq_context, zmq.SUB, port)
-        self.socket.setsockopt_string(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, u"")  # Subscribe to all topics
-        self._qi_session = self._get_session()
+        super(ActuationReceiver, self).__init__("actuation")
+        self.create_socket(zmq_context, zmq.SUB, port, options=[(zmq.SUBSCRIBE, u"")])
         self._tts_service = None
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _get_session():
-        if "--qi-url" not in sys.argv:
-            logging.info("No Qi URL argument given. Running in stand-alone mode.")
-            return None
-
-        try:
-            import qi
-        except ImportError:
-            logging.info("Unable to import qi. Running in stand-alone mode.")
-            return None
-
-        try:
-            app = qi.Application()
-            app.start()
-            return app.session
-        except RuntimeError:
-            logging.info("Unable to connect to the robot. Running in stand-alone mode.")
-            return None
-
     def _handle_speech(self, message):
         text = message.get("data")
         if not text:
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/main_receiver.py b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/main_receiver.py
index 0ebd01a..cce4f96 100644
--- a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/main_receiver.py
+++ b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/main_receiver.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class MainReceiver(ReceiverBase):
         :param port: The port to use.
         :type port: int
         """
-        super(MainReceiver, self).__init__("main", "json")
+        super(MainReceiver, self).__init__("main")
         self.create_socket(zmq_context, zmq.REP, port, bind=False)
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/socket_base.py b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/socket_base.py
index 3419349..fc351ad 100644
--- a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/socket_base.py
+++ b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/socket_base.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ from abc import ABCMeta
 
 import zmq
 
-from robot_interface.utils import zmq_socket_type_int_to_str, zmq_socket_type_complement
-
 
 class SocketBase(object):
     __metaclass__ = ABCMeta
@@ -11,16 +9,12 @@ class SocketBase(object):
     name = None
     socket = None
 
-    def __init__(self, name, data_type):
+    def __init__(self, identifier):
         """
-        :param name: The name of the endpoint.
-        :type name: str
-
-        :param data_type: The data type of the endpoint, e.g. "json", "binary", "text", etc.
-        :type data_type: str
+        :param identifier: The identifier of the endpoint.
+        :type identifier: str
         """
-        self.name = name
-        self.data_type = data_type
+        self.identifier = identifier
         self.port = None  # Set later by `create_socket`
         self.socket = None  # Set later by `create_socket`
         self.bound = None  # Set later by `create_socket`
@@ -71,9 +65,7 @@ class SocketBase(object):
         :rtype: dict
         """
         return {
-            "name": self.name,
+            "id": self.identifier,
             "port": self.port,
-            "pattern": zmq_socket_type_int_to_str[zmq_socket_type_complement[self.socket.getsockopt(zmq.TYPE)]],
-            "data_type": self.data_type,
             "bind": not self.bound
         }
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/video_sender.py b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/video_sender.py
index 793385b..41a9e6e 100644
--- a/src/robot_interface/endpoints/video_sender.py
+++ b/src/robot_interface/endpoints/video_sender.py
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ class VideoSender(SocketBase):
     def start_video_rcv(self):
         """
         Prepares arguments for retrieving video images from Pepper and starts video loop on a separate thread.
-        """        
-        app = qi.Application()
-        app.start()
-        session = app.session
+        """
+        if not state.qi_session:
+            logging.info("No QI session available, not starting video loop")
+            return
 
-        video = session.service("ALVideoDevice")
+        video = state.session.service("ALVideoDevice")
 
         camera_index = 0
         kQVGA = 2
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/state.py b/src/robot_interface/state.py
index d10cf77..b6f8ce1 100644
--- a/src/robot_interface/state.py
+++ b/src/robot_interface/state.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import logging
 import signal
 import threading
 
+from robot_interface.utils.qi_utils import get_qi_session
+
 
 class State(object):
     """
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ class State(object):
         self.is_initialized = False
         self.exit_event = None
         self.sockets = []  # type: List[SocketBase]
+        self.qi_session = None  # type: None | ssl.SSLSession
 
     def initialize(self):
         if self.is_initialized:
@@ -28,6 +31,8 @@ class State(object):
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, handle_exit)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handle_exit)
 
+        self.qi_session = get_qi_session()
+
         self.is_initialized = True
 
     def deinitialize(self):
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/utils.py b/src/robot_interface/utils.py
deleted file mode 100644
index f2a74bd..0000000
--- a/src/robot_interface/utils.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-zmq_socket_type_complement = {
-    0: 0,  # PAIR - PAIR
-    1: 2,  # PUB - SUB
-    2: 1,  # SUB - PUB
-    3: 4,  # REQ - REP
-    4: 3,  # REP - REQ
-    5: 6,  # DEALER - ROUTER
-    6: 5,  # ROUTER - DEALER
-    7: 8,  # PULL - PUSH
-    8: 7,  # PUSH - PULL
-}
-
-zmq_socket_type_int_to_str = {
-    0: "PAIR",
-    1: "PUB",
-    2: "SUB",
-    3: "REQ",
-    4: "REP",
-    5: "DEALER",
-    6: "ROUTER",
-    7: "PULL",
-    8: "PUSH",
-}
-
-zmq_socket_type_str_to_int = {value: key for key, value in zmq_socket_type_int_to_str.items()}
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/utils/__init__.py b/src/robot_interface/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/robot_interface/utils/qi_utils.py b/src/robot_interface/utils/qi_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc7640b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/robot_interface/utils/qi_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import logging
+import sys
+
+try:
+    import qi
+except ImportError:
+    qi = None
+
+
+def get_qi_session():
+    if qi is None:
+        logging.info("Unable to import qi. Running in stand-alone mode.")
+        return None
+
+    if "--qi-url" not in sys.argv:
+        logging.info("No Qi URL argument given. Running in stand-alone mode.")
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        app = qi.Application()
+        app.start()
+        return app.session
+    except RuntimeError:
+        logging.info("Unable to connect to the robot. Running in stand-alone mode.")
+        return None