diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index 3f921a4003..65d900b9b7 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -1736,7 +1736,7 @@ device_state_cb (NMDevice *device, GParamSpec *pspec, gpointer user_data)
 		g_print (_("Connection successfully activated (master waiting for slaves) (D-Bus active path: %s)\n"),
 		         nm_object_get_path (NM_OBJECT (active)));
 		quit ();
-	} else if (ac_state != NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_ACTIVATING) {
+	} else if (active && ac_state != NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_ACTIVATING) {
 		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: Connection activation failed."));
 		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_CON_ACTIVATION;
 		quit ();