diff --git a/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-keyfile.c b/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-keyfile.c
index 91fd1f3ec7..88aa0d46cd 100644
--- a/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-keyfile.c
+++ b/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-keyfile.c
@@ -4083,10 +4083,9 @@ nm_keyfile_write(NMConnection *        connection,
     nm_auto_unref_keyfile GKeyFile *keyfile = NULL;
     GError *                        local   = NULL;
     KeyfileWriterInfo               info;
-    gs_free NMSetting **settings   = NULL;
-    guint               n_settings = 0;
-    guint               i;
-    guint               j;
+    NMSetting **                    settings;
+    int                             i;
+    guint                           j;
 
     g_return_val_if_fail(NM_IS_CONNECTION(connection), NULL);
     g_return_val_if_fail(!error || !*error, NULL);
@@ -4124,13 +4123,16 @@ nm_keyfile_write(NMConnection *        connection,
         .user_data     = user_data,
     };
 
-    settings = nm_connection_get_settings(connection, &n_settings);
-    for (i = 0; i < n_settings; i++) {
+    settings = _nm_connection_get_settings_arr(connection);
+    for (i = 0; i < (int) _NM_META_SETTING_TYPE_NUM; i++) {
+        NMSetting *              setting = settings[nm_meta_setting_types_by_priority[i]];
         const NMSettInfoSetting *sett_info;
-        NMSetting *              setting = settings[i];
         const char *             setting_name;
         const char *             setting_alias;
 
+        if (!setting)
+            continue;
+
         sett_info = _nm_setting_class_get_sett_info(NM_SETTING_GET_CLASS(setting));
 
         setting_name = sett_info->setting_class->setting_info->setting_name;