diff --git a/src/nm-device-bt.c b/src/nm-device-bt.c
index 524c25362d..964e2d765a 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-bt.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-bt.c
@@ -854,8 +854,11 @@ real_act_stage2_config (NMDevice *device, NMDeviceStateReason *reason)
 	NMDBusManager *dbus_mgr;
 	DBusGConnection *g_connection;
 	gboolean dun = FALSE;
+	NMConnection *connection;
 
-	priv->bt_type = get_connection_bt_type (nm_device_get_connection (device));
+	connection = nm_device_get_connection (device);
+	g_assert (connection);
+	priv->bt_type = get_connection_bt_type (connection);
 	if (priv->bt_type == NM_BT_CAPABILITY_NONE) {
 		// FIXME: set a reason code
 		return NM_ACT_STAGE_RETURN_FAILURE;
diff --git a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
index 3889a398cc..0d42c2bfd8 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ build_supplicant_config (NMDeviceEthernet *self)
 	NMConnection *connection;
 
 	connection = nm_device_get_connection (NM_DEVICE (self));
-	g_return_val_if_fail (connection, NULL);
+	g_assert (connection);
 	con_uuid = nm_connection_get_uuid (connection);
 
 	config = nm_supplicant_config_new ();
@@ -1079,6 +1079,7 @@ nm_8021x_stage2_config (NMDeviceEthernet *self, NMDeviceStateReason *reason)
 	NMActStageReturn ret = NM_ACT_STAGE_RETURN_FAILURE;
 
 	connection = nm_device_get_connection (NM_DEVICE (self));
+	g_assert (connection);
 	security = nm_connection_get_setting_802_1x (connection);
 	if (!security) {
 		nm_log_err (LOGD_DEVICE, "Invalid or missing 802.1X security");
diff --git a/src/nm-device.c b/src/nm-device.c
index 5a3b1ebc5f..7bbecafce4 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/nm-device.c
@@ -632,12 +632,9 @@ nm_device_get_act_request (NMDevice *self)
 NMConnection *
 nm_device_get_connection (NMDevice *self)
 {
-	NMActRequest *req;
+	NMDevicePrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 
-	req = nm_device_get_act_request (self);
-	g_assert (req);
-
-	return nm_act_request_get_connection (req);
+	return priv->act_request ? nm_act_request_get_connection (priv->act_request) : NULL;
 }
 
 gboolean