diff --git a/llarp/config/config.cpp b/llarp/config/config.cpp
index 0225c7259..cf4ba1735 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.cpp
@@ -1000,10 +1000,10 @@ namespace llarp
             throw std::invalid_argument{"[paths]:unique-range-size must be between 4 and 32"};
           m_UniqueHopsNetmaskSize = arg;
         },
-        Comment{"In path hop selection use this as the default netmkask for testing if we should "
-                "include a relay in our hop list",
-                "i.e. 32 for uniuqe ip addresses for every hop, 24 for all hops are in a different "
-                "/24, 16 for all hops are in a different /16, etc..."});
+        Comment{"Netmask for router path selection; each router must be from a distinct IP subnet "
+                "of the given size.",
+                "E.g. 16 ensures that all routers are using distinct /16 IP addresses."});
+
 #ifdef WITH_GEOIP
     conf.defineOption<std::string>(
         "paths",
@@ -1014,32 +1014,27 @@ namespace llarp
           m_ExcludeCountries.emplace(lowercase_ascii_string(std::move(arg)));
         },
         Comment{"exclude a country given its 2 letter country code from being used in path builds",
-                "i.e. exlcude-country=DE",
-                "can be listed multiple times to exlcude multiple countries"});
+                "e.g. exclude-country=DE",
+                "can be listed multiple times to exclude multiple countries"});
 #endif
   }
 
   bool
-  PeerSelectionConfig::Acceptable(std::set<RouterContact> rcs) const
+  PeerSelectionConfig::Acceptable(const std::set<RouterContact>& rcs) const
   {
     if (m_UniqueHopsNetmaskSize)
     {
-      auto makeRange =
-          [netmask = netmask_ipv6_bits(96 + *m_UniqueHopsNetmaskSize)](IpAddress addr) -> IPRange {
-        return IPRange{net::ExpandV4(addr.toIP()) & netmask, netmask};
-      };
-
+      const auto netmask = netmask_ipv6_bits(96 + *m_UniqueHopsNetmaskSize);
       std::set<IPRange> seenRanges;
       for (const auto& hop : rcs)
       {
         for (const auto& addr : hop.addrs)
         {
-          const auto range = makeRange(addr.toIpAddress());
-          if (seenRanges.count(range))
+          const auto network_addr = net::In6ToHUInt(addr.ip) & netmask;
+          if (auto [it, inserted] = seenRanges.emplace(network_addr, netmask); not inserted)
           {
             return false;
           }
-          seenRanges.emplace(range);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/llarp/config/config.hpp b/llarp/config/config.hpp
index 8c93e8836..cecf47d48 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.hpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
     /// return true if this set of router contacts is acceptable against this config
     bool
-    Acceptable(std::set<RouterContact> hops) const;
+    Acceptable(const std::set<RouterContact>& hops) const;
   };
 
   struct NetworkConfig
diff --git a/llarp/net/ip_range.hpp b/llarp/net/ip_range.hpp
index fcb3b97fe..fc26db94f 100644
--- a/llarp/net/ip_range.hpp
+++ b/llarp/net/ip_range.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ namespace llarp
     huint128_t addr = {0};
     huint128_t netmask_bits = {0};
 
+    constexpr IPRange()
+    {}
+    constexpr IPRange(huint128_t address, huint128_t netmask)
+        : addr{std::move(address)}, netmask_bits{std::move(netmask)}
+    {}
+
     static constexpr IPRange
     FromIPv4(byte_t a, byte_t b, byte_t c, byte_t d, byte_t mask)
     {
diff --git a/llarp/path/pathbuilder.cpp b/llarp/path/pathbuilder.cpp
index 648b11df4..d9550ac98 100644
--- a/llarp/path/pathbuilder.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/pathbuilder.cpp
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     std::optional<RouterContact>
-    Builder::SelectFirstHop(std::set<RouterID> exclude) const
+    Builder::SelectFirstHop(const std::set<RouterID>& exclude) const
     {
       std::optional<RouterContact> found = std::nullopt;
       m_router->ForEachPeer(
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     std::optional<std::vector<RouterContact>>
-    Builder::GetHopsAlignedToForBuild(RouterID endpoint, std::set<RouterID> exclude)
+    Builder::GetHopsAlignedToForBuild(RouterID endpoint, const std::set<RouterID>& exclude)
     {
       const auto pathConfig = m_router->GetConfig()->paths;
 
@@ -329,9 +329,8 @@ namespace llarp
               return false;
 
             std::set<RouterContact> hopsSet;
-            hopsSet.emplace(endpointRC);
-            for (const auto& hop : hops)
-              hopsSet.emplace(hop);
+            hopsSet.insert(endpointRC);
+            hopsSet.insert(hops.begin(), hops.end());
 
             if (r->routerProfiling().IsBadForPath(rc.pubkey))
               return false;
@@ -341,7 +340,7 @@ namespace llarp
                 return false;
             }
 
-            hopsSet.emplace(rc);
+            hopsSet.insert(rc);
             if (not pathConfig.Acceptable(hopsSet))
               return false;
 
diff --git a/llarp/path/pathbuilder.hpp b/llarp/path/pathbuilder.hpp
index ea07bc5bc..89732900d 100644
--- a/llarp/path/pathbuilder.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/pathbuilder.hpp
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ namespace llarp
       BuildOneAlignedTo(const RouterID endpoint) override;
 
       std::optional<std::vector<RouterContact>>
-      GetHopsAlignedToForBuild(RouterID endpoint, std::set<RouterID> exclude = {});
+      GetHopsAlignedToForBuild(RouterID endpoint, const std::set<RouterID>& exclude = {});
 
       void
       Build(std::vector<RouterContact> hops, PathRole roles = ePathRoleAny) override;
 
       /// pick a first hop
       std::optional<RouterContact>
-      SelectFirstHop(std::set<RouterID> exclude = {}) const;
+      SelectFirstHop(const std::set<RouterID>& exclude = {}) const;
 
       virtual std::optional<std::vector<RouterContact>>
       GetHopsForBuild() override;