diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-connection.c b/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
index ecfb9780be..ce0200ba54 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-connection.c
@@ -1787,6 +1787,9 @@ _nm_connection_verify_required_interface_name (NMConnection *connection,
 {
 	const char *interface_name;
 
+	if (!connection)
+		return TRUE;
+
 	interface_name = nm_connection_get_interface_name (connection);
 	if (interface_name)
 		return TRUE;
diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-setting-bond.c b/libnm-core/nm-setting-bond.c
index 9a8bdc3702..18b274ac19 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-setting-bond.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-setting-bond.c
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ verify (NMSetting *setting, NMConnection *connection, GError **error)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (nm_connection_get_setting_infiniband (connection)) {
+	if (connection && nm_connection_get_setting_infiniband (connection)) {
 		if (strcmp (mode_new, "active-backup") != 0) {
 			g_set_error (error,
 			             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-setting-infiniband.c b/libnm-core/nm-setting-infiniband.c
index 1bbe2b3fb5..6ab6ac11b5 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-setting-infiniband.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-setting-infiniband.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ nm_setting_infiniband_get_virtual_interface_name (NMSettingInfiniband *setting)
 static gboolean
 verify (NMSetting *setting, NMConnection *connection, GError **error)
 {
-	NMSettingConnection *s_con;
+	NMSettingConnection *s_con = NULL;
 	NMSettingInfinibandPrivate *priv = NM_SETTING_INFINIBAND_GET_PRIVATE (setting);
 	guint32 normerr_max_mtu = 0;
 
@@ -241,7 +241,8 @@ verify (NMSetting *setting, NMConnection *connection, GError **error)
 		}
 	}
 
-	s_con = nm_connection_get_setting_connection (connection);
+	if (connection)
+		s_con = nm_connection_get_setting_connection (connection);
 	if (s_con) {
 		const char *interface_name = nm_setting_connection_get_interface_name (s_con);
 		GError *tmp_error = NULL;