diff --git a/libnm/nm-client.c b/libnm/nm-client.c
index 7245f17a5a..051d983c50 100644
--- a/libnm/nm-client.c
+++ b/libnm/nm-client.c
@@ -2896,9 +2896,12 @@ _dbus_handle_properties_changed (NMClient *self,
 		dbobj = _dbobjs_dbobj_get_r (self, dbus_path);
 	}
 
-	if (dbobj)
+	if (dbobj) {
+		nm_assert (dbobj->obj_state >= NML_DBUS_OBJ_STATE_WATCHED_ONLY);
 		db_iface_data = nml_dbus_object_iface_data_get (dbobj, interface_name, allow_add_iface);
-	else if (allow_add_iface) {
+		if (db_iface_data && dbobj->obj_state == NML_DBUS_OBJ_STATE_WATCHED_ONLY)
+			nml_dbus_object_set_obj_state (dbobj, NML_DBUS_OBJ_STATE_ON_DBUS, self);
+	} else if (allow_add_iface) {
 		dbobj = _dbobjs_dbobj_create (self, g_steal_pointer (&dbus_path));
 		nml_dbus_object_set_obj_state (dbobj, NML_DBUS_OBJ_STATE_ON_DBUS, self);
 		db_iface_data = nml_dbus_object_iface_data_get (dbobj, interface_name, TRUE);