diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-connection.c b/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
index 5f406cc64a..a19a09dcd8 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
@@ -169,11 +169,15 @@ nm_connection_remove_setting (NMConnection *connection, GType setting_type)
 static gpointer
 _connection_get_setting (NMConnection *connection, GType setting_type)
 {
+	NMSetting *setting;
+
 	nm_assert (NM_IS_CONNECTION (connection));
 	nm_assert (g_type_is_a (setting_type, NM_TYPE_SETTING));
 
-	return g_hash_table_lookup (NM_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (connection)->settings,
-	                            g_type_name (setting_type));
+	setting = g_hash_table_lookup (NM_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (connection)->settings,
+	                               g_type_name (setting_type));
+	nm_assert (!setting || G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE (setting, setting_type));
+	return setting;
 }
 
 static gpointer
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 1a7b90cb57..645e8dff8a 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -2418,7 +2418,7 @@ nm_device_has_unmodified_applied_connection (NMDevice *self, NMSettingCompareFla
 	return nm_active_connection_has_unmodified_applied_connection ((NMActiveConnection *) priv->act_request.obj, compare_flags);
 }
 
-NMSetting *
+gpointer
 nm_device_get_applied_setting (NMDevice *self, GType setting_type)
 {
 	NMConnection *connection;
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.h b/src/devices/nm-device.h
index bf867f4852..353bf63347 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -543,7 +543,9 @@ NMConnection *  nm_device_get_settings_connection_get_connection (NMDevice *self
 NMConnection *  nm_device_get_applied_connection (NMDevice *dev);
 gboolean        nm_device_has_unmodified_applied_connection (NMDevice *self,
                                                              NMSettingCompareFlags compare_flags);
-NMSetting *     nm_device_get_applied_setting   (NMDevice *dev, GType setting_type);
+
+gpointer /* (NMSetting *) */ nm_device_get_applied_setting   (NMDevice *dev,
+                                                              GType setting_type);
 
 void            nm_device_removed               (NMDevice *self, gboolean unconfigure_ip_config);