diff --git a/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.cxx b/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.cxx
index 329876b48..58897d8e2 100644
--- a/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.cxx
+++ b/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.cxx
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@
 // along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 // Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
 
-#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
-#  include <config.h>
-#endif
+#include <config.h>
 
 #include <string>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -80,7 +78,8 @@ bool FGAIMultiplayer::init(ModelSearchOrder searchOrder)
     return result;
 }
 
-void FGAIMultiplayer::bind() {
+void FGAIMultiplayer::bind()
+{
     FGAIBase::bind();
 
     //2018.1 mp-clock-mode indicates the clock mode that the client is running, so for backwards
@@ -99,6 +98,9 @@ void FGAIMultiplayer::bind() {
     m_node_ai_latch = props->getNode("ai-latch", true /*create*/);
     m_node_log_multiplayer = globals->get_props()->getNode("/sim/log-multiplayer-callsign", true /*create*/);
     
+    m_lagPPSAveragedNode = props->getNode("lag/pps-averaged", true);
+    m_lagModAveragedNode =  props->getNode("lag/lag-mod-averaged", true);
+
 #define AIMPROProp(type, name) \
 SGRawValueMethods<FGAIMultiplayer, type>(*this, &FGAIMultiplayer::get##name)
 
@@ -489,8 +491,8 @@ void FGAIMultiplayer::update(double dt)
             mTimeOffset = curentPkgTime - curtime - lag;
             lastTime = curentPkgTime;
             lagModAveraged = remainder((curentPkgTime - curtime), 3600.0);
-            props->setDoubleValue("lag/pps-averaged", lagPpsAveraged);
-            props->setDoubleValue("lag/lag-mod-averaged", lagModAveraged);
+            m_lagPPSAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(lagPpsAveraged);
+            m_lagModAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(lagModAveraged);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -500,8 +502,8 @@ void FGAIMultiplayer::update(double dt)
                 lastTime = curentPkgTime;
                 rawLagMod = remainder(rawLag, 3600.0);
                 lagModAveraged = lagModAveraged *0.99 + 0.01 * rawLagMod;
-                props->setDoubleValue("lag/pps-averaged", lagPpsAveraged);
-                props->setDoubleValue("lag/lag-mod-averaged", lagModAveraged);
+                m_lagPPSAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(lagPpsAveraged);
+                m_lagModAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(lagModAveraged);
             }
 
             double offset = 0.0;
@@ -830,12 +832,12 @@ FGAIMultiplayer::addMotionInfo(FGExternalMotionData& motionInfo,
             // m_simple_time_offset_smoothed will usually be too big to be
             // useful here.
             //
-            props->setDoubleValue("lag/lag-mod-averaged", 0);
+            m_lagModAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(0.0);
         }
         else
         {
             m_simple_time_compensation = 0;
-            props->setDoubleValue("lag/lag-mod-averaged", m_simple_time_offset_smoothed);
+            m_lagModAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(m_simple_time_offset_smoothed);
         }
         
         m_node_simple_time_latest->setDoubleValue(motionInfo.time);
@@ -851,7 +853,7 @@ FGAIMultiplayer::addMotionInfo(FGExternalMotionData& motionInfo,
             {
                 double ep = 0.05;
                 lagPpsAveraged = (1-ep) * lagPpsAveraged + ep * (1/dt);
-                props->setDoubleValue("lag/pps-averaged", lagPpsAveraged);
+                m_lagPPSAveragedNode->setDoubleValue(lagPpsAveraged);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.hxx b/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.hxx
index 0ca93718e..5c89dd208 100644
--- a/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.hxx
+++ b/src/AIModel/AIMultiplayer.hxx
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ private:
   double    m_simple_time_compensation = 0.0;
   double    m_simple_time_recent_packet_time = 0.0;
   
+  SGPropertyNode_ptr m_lagPPSAveragedNode;
+  SGPropertyNode_ptr m_lagModAveragedNode;
+
   SGPropertyNode_ptr    m_node_simple_time_latest;
   SGPropertyNode_ptr    m_node_simple_time_offset;
   SGPropertyNode_ptr    m_node_simple_time_offset_smoothed;