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One of the cornerstones of the root nodule symbiosis is the bi-directional nutrient exchange between host legumes and their micro-symbionts. Yet ineffective symbiotic interactions, in which indigenous rhizobia do not fix nitrogen, often occur in agricultural fields. This leads to reduced yields and thus limits the widespread use of legumes in sustainable agriculture. Although a nuisance for farmers, ineffective symbioses are an interesting system to investigate fundamental aspects of the root nodule symbiosis. The group of Macarena Marín, a group leader at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (Germany), uses such a system to study infection and persistence of rhizobia in legumes.