diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.c
index 4e23edd9232..9ab3286cc93 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.c
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ BUS_ERROR_MAP_ELF_REGISTER const sd_bus_error_map bus_common_errors[] = {
 
         SD_BUS_ERROR_MAP(BUS_ERROR_NO_PRODUCT_UUID,              EOPNOTSUPP),
 
-        SD_BUS_ERROR_MAP(BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE,         EOPNOTSUPP),
         SD_BUS_ERROR_MAP(BUS_ERROR_UNMANAGED_INTERFACE,          EOPNOTSUPP),
 
         SD_BUS_ERROR_MAP_END
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.h b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.h
index 8da56551f69..106bc159a6e 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.h
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-common-errors.h
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@
 
 #define BUS_ERROR_NO_PRODUCT_UUID "org.freedesktop.hostname1.NoProductUUID"
 
-#define BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE "org.freedesktop.network1.SpeedMeterInactive"
 #define BUS_ERROR_UNMANAGED_INTERFACE "org.freedesktop.network1.UnmanagedInterface"
 
 BUS_ERROR_MAP_ELF_USE(bus_common_errors);
diff --git a/src/network/networkctl.c b/src/network/networkctl.c
index 5d94167e3a1..78035a84308 100644
--- a/src/network/networkctl.c
+++ b/src/network/networkctl.c
@@ -349,8 +349,7 @@ static int acquire_link_bitrates(sd_bus *bus, LinkInfo *link) {
                         "org.freedesktop.network1.Link",
                         "BitRates");
         if (r < 0) {
-                bool quiet = sd_bus_error_has_name(&error, SD_BUS_ERROR_UNKNOWN_PROPERTY) ||
-                             sd_bus_error_has_name(&error, BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE);
+                bool quiet = sd_bus_error_has_name(&error, SD_BUS_ERROR_UNKNOWN_PROPERTY);
 
                 return log_full_errno(quiet ? LOG_DEBUG : LOG_WARNING,
                                       r, "Failed to query link bit rates: %s", bus_error_message(&error, r));
@@ -368,7 +367,7 @@ static int acquire_link_bitrates(sd_bus *bus, LinkInfo *link) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return bus_log_parse_error(r);
 
-        link->has_bitrates = true;
+        link->has_bitrates = link->tx_bitrate != UINT64_MAX && link->rx_bitrate != UINT64_MAX;
 
         return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
index b0abc0a2169..356ceaf0630 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
@@ -41,14 +41,10 @@ static int property_get_bit_rates(
 
         manager = link->manager;
 
-        if (!manager->use_speed_meter)
-                return sd_bus_error_set(error, BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE, "Speed meter is disabled.");
-
-        if (manager->speed_meter_usec_old == 0)
-                return sd_bus_error_set(error, BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE, "Speed meter is not active.");
-
-        if (!link->stats_updated)
-                return sd_bus_error_set(error, BUS_ERROR_SPEED_METER_INACTIVE, "Failed to measure bit-rates.");
+        if (!manager->use_speed_meter ||
+            manager->speed_meter_usec_old == 0 ||
+            !link->stats_updated)
+                return sd_bus_message_append(reply, "(tt)", UINT64_MAX, UINT64_MAX);
 
         assert(manager->speed_meter_usec_new > manager->speed_meter_usec_old);
         interval_sec = (manager->speed_meter_usec_new - manager->speed_meter_usec_old) / USEC_PER_SEC;