diff --git a/app/benchmark_internal_test.go b/app/benchmark_internal_test.go
index 8f6b7ba4c..b689e6765 100644
--- a/app/benchmark_internal_test.go
+++ b/app/benchmark_internal_test.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/weaveworks/scope/render"
+	"github.com/weaveworks/scope/render/detailed"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/scope/report"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/scope/test/fixture"
 )
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ var (
 	benchReportPath = flag.String("bench-report-path", "", "report file, or dir with files, to use for benchmarking (relative to this package)")
 )
 
-func readReportFiles(path string) ([]report.Report, error) {
+func readReportFiles(b *testing.B, path string) []report.Report {
 	reports := []report.Report{}
 	if err := filepath.Walk(path,
 		func(p string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -34,69 +35,54 @@ func readReportFiles(path string) ([]report.Report, error) {
 			reports = append(reports, rpt)
 			return nil
 		}); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		b.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	return reports, nil
+	return reports
 }
 
 func BenchmarkReportUnmarshal(b *testing.B) {
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		if _, err := readReportFiles(*benchReportPath); err != nil {
-			b.Fatal(err)
-		}
+		readReportFiles(b, *benchReportPath)
+	}
+}
+
+func upgradeReports(reports []report.Report) []report.Report {
+	upgraded := make([]report.Report, len(reports))
+	for i, r := range reports {
+		upgraded[i] = r.Upgrade()
+	}
+	return upgraded
+}
+
+func BenchmarkReportUpgrade(b *testing.B) {
+	reports := readReportFiles(b, *benchReportPath)
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		upgradeReports(reports)
 	}
 }
 
 func BenchmarkReportMerge(b *testing.B) {
-	reports, err := readReportFiles(*benchReportPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		b.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	reports := upgradeReports(readReportFiles(b, *benchReportPath))
 	merger := NewSmartMerger()
-
 	b.ResetTimer()
-
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		merger.Merge(reports)
 	}
 }
 
-func BenchmarkReportUpgrade(b *testing.B) {
-	reports, err := readReportFiles(*benchReportPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		b.Fatal(err)
+func getReport(b *testing.B) report.Report {
+	r := fixture.Report
+	if *benchReportPath != "" {
+		r = NewSmartMerger().Merge(upgradeReports(readReportFiles(b, *benchReportPath)))
 	}
-	r := NewSmartMerger().Merge(reports)
-
-	b.ResetTimer()
-
-	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		r.Upgrade()
-	}
-}
-
-func BenchmarkTopologyList(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkRender(b, func(report report.Report) {
-		request := &http.Request{
-			Form: url.Values{},
-		}
-		topologyRegistry.renderTopologies(report, request)
-	})
+	return r
 }
 
 func benchmarkRender(b *testing.B, f func(report.Report)) {
-	r := fixture.Report
-	if *benchReportPath != "" {
-		reports, err := readReportFiles(*benchReportPath)
-		if err != nil {
-			b.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		r = NewSmartMerger().Merge(reports)
-	}
-
+	r := getReport(b)
 	b.ResetTimer()
-
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		b.StopTimer()
 		render.ResetCache()
@@ -105,32 +91,72 @@ func benchmarkRender(b *testing.B, f func(report.Report)) {
 	}
 }
 
-func BenchmarkTopologyHosts(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkOneTopology(b, "hosts")
+func renderForTopology(b *testing.B, topologyID string, report report.Report) report.Nodes {
+	renderer, filter, err := topologyRegistry.RendererForTopology(topologyID, url.Values{}, report)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return render.Render(report, renderer, filter).Nodes
 }
 
-func BenchmarkTopologyControllers(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkOneTopology(b, "kube-controllers")
-}
-
-func BenchmarkTopologyPods(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkOneTopology(b, "pods")
-}
-
-func BenchmarkTopologyContainers(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkOneTopology(b, "containers")
-}
-
-func BenchmarkTopologyProcesses(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkOneTopology(b, "processes")
-}
-
-func benchmarkOneTopology(b *testing.B, topologyID string) {
+func benchmarkRenderTopology(b *testing.B, topologyID string) {
 	benchmarkRender(b, func(report report.Report) {
-		renderer, filter, err := topologyRegistry.RendererForTopology(topologyID, url.Values{}, report)
-		if err != nil {
-			b.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		render.Render(report, renderer, filter)
+		renderForTopology(b, topologyID, report)
 	})
 }
+
+func BenchmarkRenderList(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRender(b, func(report report.Report) {
+		topologyRegistry.renderTopologies(report, &http.Request{Form: url.Values{}})
+	})
+}
+
+func BenchmarkRenderHosts(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRenderTopology(b, "hosts")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkRenderControllers(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRenderTopology(b, "kube-controllers")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkRenderPods(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRenderTopology(b, "pods")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkRenderContainers(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRenderTopology(b, "containers")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkRenderProcesses(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRenderTopology(b, "processes")
+}
+
+func benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b *testing.B, topologyID string) {
+	r := getReport(b)
+	rc := report.RenderContext{Report: r}
+	nodes := renderForTopology(b, topologyID, r)
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		detailed.Summaries(rc, nodes)
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSummarizeHosts(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b, "hosts")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSummarizeControllers(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b, "kube-controllers")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSummarizePods(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b, "pods")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSummarizeContainers(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b, "containers")
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSummarizeProcesses(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkSummarizeTopology(b, "processes")
+}