diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-compound.c b/lib/filterx/expr-compound.c
index d4ca2289a..295efdcbc 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-compound.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-compound.c
@@ -168,12 +168,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
         }
     }
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_compound_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -182,12 +176,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXCompoundExpr *self = (FilterXCompoundExpr *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_compound_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   for (gint i = 0; i < self->exprs->len; i++)
     {
       FilterXExpr *expr = g_ptr_array_index(self->exprs, i);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-condition.c b/lib/filterx/expr-condition.c
index 3ab0a600d..8c0776a2c 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-condition.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-condition.c
@@ -60,12 +60,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_condition_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -74,12 +68,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXConditional *self = (FilterXConditional *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_condition_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->condition, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->true_branch, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->false_branch, cfg);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-function.c b/lib/filterx/expr-function.c
index 873ad03d4..9cf748e1d 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-function.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-function.c
@@ -248,26 +248,12 @@ filterx_function_optimize_method(FilterXFunction *s)
 gboolean
 filterx_function_init_method(FilterXFunction *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", s->function_name) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_func_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &s->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(&s->super, cfg);
 }
 
 void
 filterx_function_deinit_method(FilterXFunction *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", s->function_name) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_func_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &s->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(&s->super, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -309,11 +295,12 @@ _function_free(FilterXExpr *s)
 void
 filterx_function_init_instance(FilterXFunction *s, const gchar *function_name)
 {
-  filterx_expr_init_instance(&s->super, "call");
+  filterx_expr_init_instance(&s->super, "func");
   s->function_name = g_strdup_printf("%s()", function_name);
   s->super.optimize = _function_optimize;
   s->super.init = _function_init;
   s->super.deinit = _function_deinit;
+  s->super.name = s->function_name;
   s->super.free_fn = _function_free;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-get-subscript.c b/lib/filterx/expr-get-subscript.c
index 225147050..ac831a879 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-get-subscript.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-get-subscript.c
@@ -129,12 +129,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_get_subscript_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -143,12 +137,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXGetSubscript *self = (FilterXGetSubscript *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_get_subscript_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->operand, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->key, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-getattr.c b/lib/filterx/expr-getattr.c
index 08dfc6f9d..f073a524f 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-getattr.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-getattr.c
@@ -109,12 +109,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
   if (!filterx_expr_init(self->operand, cfg))
     return FALSE;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_getattr_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -123,12 +117,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXGetAttr *self = (FilterXGetAttr *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_getattr_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->operand, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
 }
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-set-subscript.c b/lib/filterx/expr-set-subscript.c
index c826c1d0a..dbcb9e1c7 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-set-subscript.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-set-subscript.c
@@ -180,12 +180,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_set_subscript_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -194,12 +188,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXSetSubscript *self = (FilterXSetSubscript *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_set_subscript_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->object, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->new_value, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->key, cfg);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-setattr.c b/lib/filterx/expr-setattr.c
index ef0ea5165..29adb7ae7 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-setattr.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-setattr.c
@@ -155,12 +155,6 @@ _init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_setattr_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -169,12 +163,6 @@ _deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXSetAttr *self = (FilterXSetAttr *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_setattr_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->object, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->new_value, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-template.c b/lib/filterx/expr-template.c
index 17653e869..d37560cc3 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-template.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-template.c
@@ -65,34 +65,6 @@ _free(FilterXExpr *s)
   filterx_expr_free_method(s);
 }
 
-static gboolean
-_template_init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
-{
-  FilterXTemplate *self = (FilterXTemplate *) s;
-
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_template_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
-  return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
-}
-
-static void
-_template_deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
-{
-  FilterXTemplate *self = (FilterXTemplate *) s;
-
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_template_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
-  filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
-}
-
 /* NOTE: takes the object reference */
 FilterXExpr *
 filterx_template_new(LogTemplate *template)
@@ -100,8 +72,6 @@ filterx_template_new(LogTemplate *template)
   FilterXTemplate *self = g_new0(FilterXTemplate, 1);
 
   filterx_expr_init_instance(&self->super, "template");
-  self->super.init = _template_init;
-  self->super.deinit = _template_deinit;
   self->super.eval = _eval;
   self->super.free_fn = _free;
   self->template = template;
diff --git a/lib/filterx/expr-variable.c b/lib/filterx/expr-variable.c
index 77214b6cd..e3a101e5d 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/expr-variable.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/expr-variable.c
@@ -175,34 +175,6 @@ _free(FilterXExpr *s)
   filterx_expr_free_method(s);
 }
 
-static gboolean
-_init(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
-{
-  FilterXVariableExpr *self = (FilterXVariableExpr *) s;
-
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_variable_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
-  return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
-}
-
-static void
-_deinit(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
-{
-  FilterXVariableExpr *self = (FilterXVariableExpr *) s;
-
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_variable_evals_total", NULL, 0);
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
-  return filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
-}
-
 static FilterXExpr *
 filterx_variable_expr_new(FilterXString *name, FilterXVariableType type)
 {
@@ -210,8 +182,6 @@ filterx_variable_expr_new(FilterXString *name, FilterXVariableType type)
 
   filterx_expr_init_instance(&self->super, "variable");
   self->super.free_fn = _free;
-  self->super.init = _init;
-  self->super.deinit = _deinit;
   self->super.eval = _eval;
   self->super._update_repr = _update_repr;
   self->super.assign = _assign;
diff --git a/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.c b/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.c
index b53d29aee..29e61e24d 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.c
@@ -99,15 +99,47 @@ filterx_expr_optimize(FilterXExpr *self)
   return optimized;
 }
 
+static void
+_init_sc_key_name(FilterXExpr *self, gchar *buf, gsize buf_len)
+{
+  g_snprintf(buf, buf_len, "fx_%s_evals_total", self->type);
+}
+
 gboolean
 filterx_expr_init_method(FilterXExpr *self, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
+  gchar buf[64];
+
+  _init_sc_key_name(self, buf, sizeof(buf));
+  stats_lock();
+  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
+  StatsClusterLabel labels[1];
+  gint labels_len = 0;
+
+  if (self->name)
+    labels[labels_len++] = stats_cluster_label("name", self->name);
+  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, buf, labels, labels_len);
+  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->eval_count);
+  stats_unlock();
   return TRUE;
 }
 
 void
 filterx_expr_deinit_method(FilterXExpr *self, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
+  gchar buf[64];
+
+  _init_sc_key_name(self, buf, sizeof(buf));
+  stats_lock();
+  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
+  StatsClusterLabel labels[1];
+  gint labels_len = 0;
+
+  if (self->name)
+    labels[labels_len++] = stats_cluster_label("name", self->name);
+  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, buf, labels, labels_len);
+  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->eval_count);
+  stats_unlock();
 }
 
 void
@@ -179,12 +211,6 @@ filterx_unary_op_init_method(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
   if (!filterx_expr_init(self->operand, cfg))
     return FALSE;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", self->name) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_op_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
 
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
@@ -194,13 +220,6 @@ filterx_unary_op_deinit_method(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXUnaryOp *self = (FilterXUnaryOp *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", self->name) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_op_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->operand, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
 }
@@ -256,13 +275,6 @@ filterx_binary_op_init_method(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
   if (!filterx_expr_init(self->rhs, cfg))
     return FALSE;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", self->super.type) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_op_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_register_counter(STATS_LEVEL3, &sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   return filterx_expr_init_method(s, cfg);
 }
 
@@ -271,13 +283,6 @@ filterx_binary_op_deinit_method(FilterXExpr *s, GlobalConfig *cfg)
 {
   FilterXBinaryOp *self = (FilterXBinaryOp *) s;
 
-  stats_lock();
-  StatsClusterKey sc_key;
-  StatsClusterLabel labels[] = { stats_cluster_label("name", self->super.type) };
-  stats_cluster_single_key_set(&sc_key, "fx_op_evals_total", labels, G_N_ELEMENTS(labels));
-  stats_unregister_counter(&sc_key, SC_TYPE_SINGLE_VALUE, &self->super.eval_count);
-  stats_unlock();
-
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->lhs, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit(self->rhs, cfg);
   filterx_expr_deinit_method(s, cfg);
diff --git a/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.h b/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.h
index 51fed2c21..8ce94590d 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.h
+++ b/lib/filterx/filterx-expr.h
@@ -56,8 +56,14 @@ struct _FilterXExpr
   FilterXExpr *(*optimize)(FilterXExpr *self);
   void (*free_fn)(FilterXExpr *self);
 
-  /* type of the expr */
+  /* type of the expr, is not freed, assumed to be managed by something else
+   * */
+
   const gchar *type;
+
+  /* name associated with the expr (e.g.  function name), is not freed by
+   * FilterXExpr, assumed to be managed by something else */
+  const gchar *name;
   CFG_LTYPE *lloc;
   gchar *expr_text;
 };