diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
index 645c47ae8c0..f7eae87edd1 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ int link_send_changed(Link *link, const char *property, ...) {
         assert(link);
         assert(link->manager);
 
+        if (!link->manager->bus)
+                return 0; /* replace with assert when we have kdbus */
+
         l = strv_from_stdarg_alloca(property);
 
         p = link_bus_path(link);
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-manager-bus.c b/src/network/networkd-manager-bus.c
index 7753c5dbc9a..b281f4fdb6c 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-manager-bus.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-manager-bus.c
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ int manager_send_changed(Manager *manager, const char *property, ...) {
 
         assert(manager);
 
+        if (!manager->bus)
+                return 0; /* replace by assert when we have kdbus */
+
         l = strv_from_stdarg_alloca(property);
 
         return sd_bus_emit_properties_changed_strv(