diff --git a/veilid-core/src/routing_table/route_spec_store.rs b/veilid-core/src/routing_table/route_spec_store.rs
index db8a2ca0..87b0d283 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/routing_table/route_spec_store.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/routing_table/route_spec_store.rs
@@ -1285,6 +1285,8 @@ impl RouteSpecStore {
         safety_selection: SafetySelection,
         mut private_route: PrivateRoute,
     ) -> EyreResult<Option<CompiledRoute>> {
+        // let profile_start_ts = get_timestamp();
+
         let inner = &mut *self.inner.lock();
         let routing_table = self.unlocked_inner.routing_table.clone();
         let rti = &mut *routing_table.inner.write();
@@ -1327,6 +1329,7 @@ impl RouteSpecStore {
                 first_hop.set_sequencing(sequencing);
 
                 // Return the compiled safety route
+                //println!("compile_safety_route profile (stub): {} us", (get_timestamp() - profile_start_ts));
                 return Ok(Some(CompiledRoute {
                     safety_route: SafetyRoute::new_stub(routing_table.node_id(), private_route),
                     secret: routing_table.node_id_secret(),
@@ -1380,6 +1383,7 @@ impl RouteSpecStore {
                     first_hop,
                 };
                 // Return compiled route
+                //println!("compile_safety_route profile (cached): {} us", (get_timestamp() - profile_start_ts));
                 return Ok(Some(compiled_route));
             }
         }
@@ -1498,6 +1502,7 @@ impl RouteSpecStore {
         };
 
         // Return compiled route
+        //println!("compile_safety_route profile (uncached): {} us", (get_timestamp() - profile_start_ts));
         Ok(Some(compiled_route))
     }
 
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
index 2349a97c..0eabf47f 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ fn get_route_id(rss: RouteSpecStore) -> impl Fn(&str) -> Option<DHTKey> {
     };
 }
 
-fn get_safety_selection(text: &str, rss: RouteSpecStore) -> Option<SafetySelection> {
+fn get_safety_selection(text: &str, routing_table: RoutingTable) -> Option<SafetySelection> {
+    let rss = routing_table.route_spec_store();
+    let default_route_hop_count =
+        routing_table.with_config(|c| c.network.rpc.default_route_hop_count as usize);
+
     if text.len() != 0 && &text[0..1] == "-" {
         // Unsafe
         let text = &text[1..];
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ fn get_safety_selection(text: &str, rss: RouteSpecStore) -> Option<SafetySelecti
     } else {
         // Safe
         let mut preferred_route = None;
-        let mut hop_count = 2;
+        let mut hop_count = default_route_hop_count;
         let mut stability = Stability::default();
         let mut sequencing = Sequencing::default();
         for x in text.split(",") {
@@ -111,7 +115,7 @@ fn get_destination(routing_table: RoutingTable) -> impl FnOnce(&str) -> Option<D
     move |text| {
         // Safety selection
         let (text, ss) = if let Some((first, second)) = text.split_once('+') {
-            let ss = get_safety_selection(second, routing_table.route_spec_store())?;
+            let ss = get_safety_selection(second, routing_table.clone())?;
             (first, Some(ss))
         } else {
             (text, None)