diff --git a/clients/common/nm-polkit-listener.c b/clients/common/nm-polkit-listener.c
index 3f871b6323..9646374e9d 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-polkit-listener.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-polkit-listener.c
@@ -321,9 +321,11 @@ nm_polkit_listener_new (gboolean for_session, GError **error)
 	listener = g_object_new (NM_TYPE_POLKIT_LISTENER, NULL);
 	priv = NM_POLKIT_LISTENER_GET_PRIVATE (listener);
 
-	if (for_session)
-		session = polkit_unix_session_new_for_process_sync (getpid (), NULL, NULL);
-	else
+	if (for_session) {
+		session = polkit_unix_session_new_for_process_sync (getpid (), NULL, error);
+		if (!session)
+			return NULL;
+	} else
 		session = polkit_unix_process_new_for_owner (getpid (), 0, getuid ());
 
 	priv->reg_handle = polkit_agent_listener_register (listener, POLKIT_AGENT_REGISTER_FLAGS_NONE,