diff --git a/include/types/stream_interface.h b/include/types/stream_interface.h
index aae25c637..1c1e6a665 100644
--- a/include/types/stream_interface.h
+++ b/include/types/stream_interface.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ enum {
 	TARG_TYPE_PROXY,            /* target is a proxy   ; use address with the proxy's settings */
 	TARG_TYPE_SERVER,           /* target is a server  ; use address with server's and its proxy's settings */
 	TARG_TYPE_APPLET,           /* target is an applet ; use only the applet */
+	TARG_TYPE_TASK,             /* target is a task running an external applet */
 };
 
 #define SI_FL_CAP_SPLICE (SI_FL_CAP_SPLTCP)
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ struct target {
 		struct proxy *p;      /* when type is TARG_TYPE_PROXY  */
 		struct server *s;     /* when type is TARG_TYPE_SERVER */
 		struct si_applet *a;  /* when type is TARG_TYPE_APPLET */
+		struct task *t;       /* when type is TARG_TYPE_TASK */
 	} ptr;
 };
 
@@ -134,7 +136,6 @@ struct stream_interface {
 	int conn_retries;	/* number of connect retries left */
 	int fd;                 /* file descriptor for a stream driver when known */
 	struct {
-		struct si_applet *handler; /* applet to use instead of doing I/O */
 		void *private;             /* may be used by any function above */
 		unsigned int st0, st1;     /* may be used by any function above */
 	} applet;
diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index 5e3b353e3..dd74ec3f9 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -1053,7 +1053,8 @@ void peer_session_forceshutdown(struct session * session)
 {
 	struct stream_interface *oldsi;
 
-	if (session->si[0].applet.handler == &peer_applet) {
+	if (session->si[0].target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET &&
+	    session->si[0].target.ptr.a == &peer_applet) {
 		oldsi = &session->si[0];
 	}
 	else {
@@ -1156,7 +1157,6 @@ struct session *peer_session_create(struct peer *peer, struct peer_session *ps)
 	s->si[0].err_type = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[0].err_loc = NULL;
 	s->si[0].connect   = NULL;
-	s->si[0].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[0].target.ptr.v = NULL;
 	s->si[0].target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->si[0].exp = TICK_ETERNITY;
@@ -1176,7 +1176,6 @@ struct session *peer_session_create(struct peer *peer, struct peer_session *ps)
 	s->si[1].err_type = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[1].err_loc = NULL;
 	s->si[1].connect = tcpv4_connect_server;
-	s->si[1].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[1].target.ptr.p = s->be;
 	s->si[1].target.type = TARG_TYPE_PROXY;
 	s->si[1].exp = TICK_ETERNITY;
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index 87f74641c..eb0a2521d 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	s->si[0].err_type  = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[0].err_loc   = NULL;
 	s->si[0].connect   = NULL;
-	s->si[0].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[0].release   = NULL;
 	s->si[0].target.type  = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->si[0].target.ptr.v = NULL;
@@ -192,7 +191,6 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	s->si[1].err_type  = SI_ET_NONE;
 	s->si[1].err_loc   = NULL;
 	s->si[1].connect   = NULL;
-	s->si[1].applet.handler = NULL;
 	s->si[1].release   = NULL;
 	s->si[1].target.type  = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	s->si[1].target.ptr.v = NULL;
@@ -1796,7 +1794,7 @@ struct task *process_session(struct task *t)
 				 */
 				s->req->cons->state = SI_ST_REQ; /* new connection requested */
 				s->req->cons->conn_retries = s->be->conn_retries;
-				if (unlikely(s->req->cons->applet.handler && !s->req->cons->connect)) {
+				if (unlikely(s->req->cons->target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET && !s->req->cons->connect)) {
 					s->req->cons->state = SI_ST_EST; /* connection established */
 					s->rep->flags |= BF_READ_ATTACHED; /* producer is now attached */
 					s->req->wex = TICK_ETERNITY;
@@ -1953,10 +1951,10 @@ struct task *process_session(struct task *t)
 		if ((s->fe->options & PR_O_CONTSTATS) && (s->flags & SN_BE_ASSIGNED))
 			session_process_counters(s);
 
-		if (s->rep->cons->state == SI_ST_EST && !s->rep->cons->applet.handler)
+		if (s->rep->cons->state == SI_ST_EST && s->rep->cons->target.type != TARG_TYPE_APPLET)
 			s->rep->cons->update(s->rep->cons);
 
-		if (s->req->cons->state == SI_ST_EST && !s->req->cons->applet.handler)
+		if (s->req->cons->state == SI_ST_EST && s->req->cons->target.type != TARG_TYPE_APPLET)
 			s->req->cons->update(s->req->cons);
 
 		s->req->flags &= ~(BF_READ_NULL|BF_READ_PARTIAL|BF_WRITE_NULL|BF_WRITE_PARTIAL|BF_READ_ATTACHED);
@@ -1983,11 +1981,12 @@ struct task *process_session(struct task *t)
 		/* Call the stream interfaces' I/O handlers when embedded.
 		 * Note that this one may wake the task up again.
 		 */
-		if (s->req->cons->applet.handler || s->rep->cons->applet.handler) {
-			if (s->req->cons->applet.handler)
-				s->req->cons->applet.handler->fct(s->req->cons);
-			if (s->rep->cons->applet.handler)
-				s->rep->cons->applet.handler->fct(s->rep->cons);
+		if (s->req->cons->target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET ||
+		    s->rep->cons->target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET) {
+			if (s->req->cons->target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET)
+				s->req->cons->target.ptr.a->fct(s->req->cons);
+			if (s->rep->cons->target.type == TARG_TYPE_APPLET)
+				s->rep->cons->target.ptr.a->fct(s->rep->cons);
 			if (task_in_rq(t)) {
 				/* If we woke up, we don't want to requeue the
 				 * task to the wait queue, but rather requeue
diff --git a/src/stream_interface.c b/src/stream_interface.c
index db1397392..50e1f9c70 100644
--- a/src/stream_interface.c
+++ b/src/stream_interface.c
@@ -315,7 +315,6 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler(struct stream_interface *si, struct si_
 	si->connect = NULL;
 	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_APPLET;
 	si->target.ptr.a = app;
-	si->applet.handler = app;
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->flags |= SI_FL_WAIT_DATA;
 	return si->owner;
@@ -325,6 +324,8 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler(struct stream_interface *si, struct si_
  * new task itself is returned and is assigned as si->owner. The stream_interface
  * pointer will be pointed to by the task's context. The handler can be detached
  * by using stream_int_unregister_handler().
+ * FIXME: the code should be updated to ensure that we don't change si->owner
+ * anymore as this is not needed. However, process_session still relies on it.
  */
 struct task *stream_int_register_handler_task(struct stream_interface *si,
 					      struct task *(*fct)(struct task *))
@@ -341,7 +342,6 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler_task(struct stream_interface *si,
 	si->connect = NULL;
 	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
 	si->target.ptr.v   = NULL;
-	si->applet.handler = NULL; /* not used when running as an external task */
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->flags |= SI_FL_WAIT_DATA;
 
@@ -349,6 +349,10 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler_task(struct stream_interface *si,
 	si->owner = t;
 	if (!t)
 		return t;
+
+	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_TASK;
+	si->target.ptr.t = t;
+
 	t->process = fct;
 	t->context = si;
 	task_wakeup(si->owner, TASK_WOKEN_INIT);
@@ -362,12 +366,11 @@ struct task *stream_int_register_handler_task(struct stream_interface *si,
  */
 void stream_int_unregister_handler(struct stream_interface *si)
 {
-	if (!si->applet.handler && si->owner) {
+	if (si->target.type == TARG_TYPE_TASK) {
 		/* external handler : kill the task */
-		task_delete(si->owner);
-		task_free(si->owner);
+		task_delete(si->target.ptr.t);
+		task_free(si->target.ptr.t);
 	}
-	si->applet.handler = NULL;
 	si->release   = NULL;
 	si->owner = NULL;
 	si->target.type = TARG_TYPE_NONE;
diff --git a/src/stream_sock.c b/src/stream_sock.c
index 3c8563e26..1f45e3ff1 100644
--- a/src/stream_sock.c
+++ b/src/stream_sock.c
@@ -1252,7 +1252,6 @@ void stream_sock_prepare_interface(struct stream_interface *si)
 	si->shutw = stream_sock_shutw;
 	si->chk_rcv = stream_sock_chk_rcv;
 	si->chk_snd = stream_sock_chk_snd;
-	si->applet.handler = NULL;
 }