diff --git a/src/xpub.cpp b/src/xpub.cpp
index 630450b9..fc271441 100644
--- a/src/xpub.cpp
+++ b/src/xpub.cpp
@@ -25,11 +25,10 @@
 
 zmq::xpub_t::xpub_t (class ctx_t *parent_, uint32_t tid_) :
     socket_base_t (parent_, tid_),
-    dist (this),
-    fq (this)
+    dist (this)
 {
     options.type = ZMQ_XPUB;
-    options.requires_in = true;
+    options.requires_in = false;
     options.requires_out = true;
 }
 
@@ -40,16 +39,14 @@ zmq::xpub_t::~xpub_t ()
 void zmq::xpub_t::xattach_pipes (class reader_t *inpipe_,
     class writer_t *outpipe_, const blob_t &peer_identity_)
 {
-    zmq_assert (inpipe_ && outpipe_);
+    zmq_assert (!inpipe_ && outpipe_);
     dist.attach (outpipe_);
-    fq.attach (inpipe_);
 }
 
 void zmq::xpub_t::process_term (int linger_)
 {
     //  Terminate the outbound pipes.
     dist.terminate ();
-    fq.terminate ();
 
     //  Continue with the termination immediately.
     socket_base_t::process_term (linger_);
@@ -67,11 +64,12 @@ bool zmq::xpub_t::xhas_out ()
 
 int zmq::xpub_t::xrecv (zmq_msg_t *msg_, int flags_)
 {
-    return fq.recv (msg_, flags_);
+    errno = EAGAIN;
+    return -1;
 }
 
 bool zmq::xpub_t::xhas_in ()
 {
-    return fq.has_in ();
+    return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/xpub.hpp b/src/xpub.hpp
index 2b63ec3b..34da09ec 100644
--- a/src/xpub.hpp
+++ b/src/xpub.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "array.hpp"
 #include "pipe.hpp"
 #include "dist.hpp"
-#include "fq.hpp"
 
 namespace zmq
 {
@@ -52,9 +51,6 @@ namespace zmq
         //  Distributor of messages holding the list of outbound pipes.
         dist_t dist;
 
-        //  Fair queuer for inbound subscriptions.
-        fq_t fq;
-
         xpub_t (const xpub_t&);
         const xpub_t &operator = (const xpub_t&);
     };
diff --git a/src/xsub.cpp b/src/xsub.cpp
index 87c88529..5eef1911 100644
--- a/src/xsub.cpp
+++ b/src/xsub.cpp
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@
 zmq::xsub_t::xsub_t (class ctx_t *parent_, uint32_t tid_) :
     socket_base_t (parent_, tid_),
     fq (this),
-    dist (this),
     has_message (false),
     more (false)
 {
     options.type = ZMQ_XSUB;
     options.requires_in = true;
-    options.requires_out = true;
+    options.requires_out = false;
     zmq_msg_init (&message);
 }
 
@@ -45,15 +44,13 @@ zmq::xsub_t::~xsub_t ()
 void zmq::xsub_t::xattach_pipes (class reader_t *inpipe_,
     class writer_t *outpipe_, const blob_t &peer_identity_)
 {
-    zmq_assert (inpipe_ && outpipe_);
+    zmq_assert (inpipe_ && !outpipe_);
     fq.attach (inpipe_);
-    dist.attach (outpipe_);
 }
 
 void zmq::xsub_t::process_term (int linger_)
 {
     fq.terminate ();
-    dist.terminate ();
     socket_base_t::process_term (linger_);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/xsub.hpp b/src/xsub.hpp
index e10b2c7a..85f902c8 100644
--- a/src/xsub.hpp
+++ b/src/xsub.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 
 #include "trie.hpp"
 #include "socket_base.hpp"
-#include "dist.hpp"
 #include "fq.hpp"
 
 namespace zmq
@@ -58,9 +57,6 @@ namespace zmq
         //  Fair queueing object for inbound pipes.
         fq_t fq;
 
-        //  Distributor mechanism for outbound messages (subscriptions).
-        dist_t dist;
-
         //  The repository of subscriptions.
         trie_t subscriptions;