diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index bd425ecfd6..28fa8f778a 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -1284,13 +1284,6 @@ do_connections_show (NmCli *nmc, gboolean active_only, int argc, char **argv)
 	char *profile_flds = NULL, *active_flds = NULL;
 
 	nmc->should_wait = FALSE;
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto finish;
-	}
 
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		char *fields_str;
@@ -1997,15 +1990,6 @@ do_connection_up (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		argv++;
 	}
 
-	/* create NMClient */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
 	/* Use nowait_flag instead of should_wait because exiting has to be postponed till
 	 * active_connection_state_cb() is called. That gives NM time to check our permissions
 	 * and we can follow activation progress.
@@ -2057,15 +2041,6 @@ do_connection_down (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* create NMClient */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
 	/* Get active connections */
 	active_cons = nm_client_get_active_connections (nmc->client);
 	while (arg_num > 0) {
@@ -7459,7 +7434,6 @@ editor_menu_main (NmCli *nmc, NMConnection *connection, const char *connection_t
 				g_clear_error (&tmp_err);
 				break;
 			}
-			nmc->get_client (nmc);
 
 			nmc->nowait_flag = FALSE;
 			nmc->should_wait = TRUE;
@@ -7601,7 +7575,6 @@ get_ethernet_device_name (NmCli *nmc)
 	const GPtrArray *devices;
 	int i;
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
 	devices = nm_client_get_devices (nmc->client);
 	for (i = 0; i < devices->len; i++) {
 		NMDevice *dev = g_ptr_array_index (devices, i);
@@ -7966,15 +7939,6 @@ do_connection_modify (NmCli *nmc,
 
 	nmc->should_wait = FALSE;
 
-	/* create NMClient */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto finish;
-	}
-
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: No arguments provided."));
 		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT;
@@ -8174,15 +8138,6 @@ do_connection_delete (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 	nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_SUCCESS;
 	nmc->should_wait = FALSE;
 
-	/* create NMClient */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto finish;
-	}
-
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		if (nmc->ask) {
 			line = nmc_readline (PROMPT_CONNECTION);
@@ -8429,13 +8384,19 @@ do_connections (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 			return nmc->return_value;
 	}
 
+	/* Get NMClient object early */
+	nmc->get_client (nmc);
+
+	/* Check whether NetworkManager is runnung */
+	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
+		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
+		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
+		return nmc->return_value;
+	}
 	/* Compare NM and nmcli versions */
 	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
 		return nmc->return_value;
 
-	/* Get NMClient object early */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
 	/* Get NMRemoteSettings object */
 	if (!(nmc->system_settings = nm_remote_settings_new (NULL, &error))) {
 		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: Could not get system settings: %s."), error->message);
diff --git a/clients/cli/devices.c b/clients/cli/devices.c
index 705838de4d..8bd2c84445 100644
--- a/clients/cli/devices.c
+++ b/clients/cli/devices.c
@@ -1180,17 +1180,6 @@ do_devices_status (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	/* Add headers */
 	nmc->print_fields.header_name = _("Status of devices");
 	arr = nmc_dup_fields_array (tmpl, tmpl_len, NMC_OF_FLAG_MAIN_HEADER_ADD | NMC_OF_FLAG_FIELD_NAMES);
@@ -1228,17 +1217,6 @@ do_devices_show (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = get_devices_sorted (nmc->client);
 
 	if (ifname) {
@@ -1392,16 +1370,6 @@ do_device_connect (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = get_devices_sorted (nmc->client);
 	for (i = 0; devices[i]; i++) {
 		NMDevice *candidate = devices[i];
@@ -1526,16 +1494,6 @@ do_device_disconnect (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = get_devices_sorted (nmc->client);
 	for (i = 0; devices[i]; i++) {
 		NMDevice *candidate = devices[i];
@@ -1620,16 +1578,6 @@ do_device_delete (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = get_devices_sorted (nmc->client);
 	for (i = 0; devices[i]; i++) {
 		NMDevice *candidate = devices[i];
@@ -1761,17 +1709,6 @@ do_device_wifi_list (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = get_devices_sorted (nmc->client);
 	if (ifname) {
 		/* Device specified - list only APs of this interface */
@@ -2219,17 +2156,6 @@ do_device_wifi_connect_network (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = nm_client_get_devices (nmc->client);
 
 	/* Find a device to activate the connection on */
@@ -2393,7 +2319,6 @@ do_device_wifi_rescan (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	/* Find Wi-Fi device to scan on. When no ifname is provided, the first Wi-Fi is used. */
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
 	devices = nm_client_get_devices (nmc->client);
 	devices_idx = 0;
 	device = find_wifi_device_by_iface (devices, ifname, &devices_idx);
@@ -2518,17 +2443,6 @@ do_device_wimax_list (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	nmc->get_client (nmc);
-
-	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
-		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
-		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-		goto error;
-
 	devices = nm_client_get_devices (nmc->client);
 	if (ifname) {
 		/* Device specified - list only NSPs of this interface */
@@ -2745,6 +2659,19 @@ do_devices (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 
 	rl_attempted_completion_function = (rl_completion_func_t *) nmcli_device_tab_completion;
 
+	/* Get NMClient object early */
+	nmc->get_client (nmc);
+
+	/* Check whether NetworkManager is runnung */
+	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
+		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
+		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
+		return nmc->return_value;
+	}
+	/* Compare NM and nmcli versions */
+	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
+		return nmc->return_value;
+
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		if (!nmc_terse_option_check (nmc->print_output, nmc->required_fields, &error))
 			goto opt_error;
diff --git a/clients/cli/network-manager.c b/clients/cli/network-manager.c
index 4a885dbfd1..d4841ebc43 100644
--- a/clients/cli/network-manager.c
+++ b/clients/cli/network-manager.c
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ nm_connectivity_to_string (NMConnectivityState connectivity)
 static gboolean
 show_nm_status (NmCli *nmc, const char *pretty_header_name, const char *print_flds)
 {
-	gboolean nm_running, startup = FALSE;
+	gboolean startup = FALSE;
 	NMState state = NM_STATE_UNKNOWN;
 	NMConnectivityState connectivity = NM_CONNECTIVITY_UNKNOWN;
 	const char *net_enabled_str;
@@ -335,42 +335,37 @@ show_nm_status (NmCli *nmc, const char *pretty_header_name, const char *print_fl
 
 	nmc->get_client (nmc); /* create NMClient */
 
-	nm_running = nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client);
-	if (nm_running) {
-		if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
-			return FALSE;
-
-		state = nm_client_get_state (nmc->client);
-		startup = nm_client_get_startup (nmc->client);
-		connectivity = nm_client_get_connectivity (nmc->client);
-		net_enabled_str = nm_client_networking_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-		wireless_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wireless_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-		wireless_enabled_str = nm_client_wireless_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-		wwan_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wwan_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-		wwan_enabled_str = nm_client_wwan_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-#if WITH_WIMAX
-		wimax_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wimax_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-		wimax_enabled_str = nm_client_wimax_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
-#endif
-	} else {
-#if WITH_WIMAX
-		net_enabled_str = wireless_hw_enabled_str = wireless_enabled_str =
-		wwan_hw_enabled_str = wwan_enabled_str = wimax_hw_enabled_str = wimax_enabled_str = _("unknown");
-#else
-		net_enabled_str = wireless_hw_enabled_str = wireless_enabled_str =
-		wwan_hw_enabled_str = wwan_enabled_str = _("unknown");
-#endif
+	if (!nm_client_get_nm_running (nmc->client)) {
+		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: NetworkManager is not running."));
+		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_NM_NOT_RUNNING;
+		return FALSE;
 	}
 
+	if (!nmc_versions_match (nmc))
+		return FALSE;
+
+	state = nm_client_get_state (nmc->client);
+	startup = nm_client_get_startup (nmc->client);
+	connectivity = nm_client_get_connectivity (nmc->client);
+	net_enabled_str = nm_client_networking_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+	wireless_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wireless_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+	wireless_enabled_str = nm_client_wireless_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+	wwan_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wwan_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+	wwan_enabled_str = nm_client_wwan_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+#if WITH_WIMAX
+	wimax_hw_enabled_str = nm_client_wimax_hardware_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+	wimax_enabled_str = nm_client_wimax_get_enabled (nmc->client) ? _("enabled") : _("disabled");
+#endif
+
 	nmc->print_fields.header_name = pretty_header_name ? (char *) pretty_header_name : _("NetworkManager status");
 	arr = nmc_dup_fields_array (tmpl, tmpl_len, NMC_OF_FLAG_MAIN_HEADER_ADD | NMC_OF_FLAG_FIELD_NAMES);
 	g_ptr_array_add (nmc->output_data, arr);
 
 	arr = nmc_dup_fields_array (tmpl, tmpl_len, 0);
-	set_val_strc (arr, 0, nm_running ? _("running") : _("not running"));
-	set_val_strc (arr, 1, nm_running ? nm_client_get_version (nmc->client) : _("unknown"));
+	set_val_strc (arr, 0, _("running"));
+	set_val_strc (arr, 1, nm_client_get_version (nmc->client));
 	set_val_strc (arr, 2, nm_state_to_string (state));
-	set_val_strc (arr, 3, nm_running ? (startup ? _("starting") : _("started")) : _("unknown"));
+	set_val_strc (arr, 3, startup ? _("starting") : _("started"));
 	set_val_strc (arr, 4, nm_connectivity_to_string (connectivity));
 	set_val_strc (arr, 5, net_enabled_str);
 	set_val_strc (arr, 6, wireless_hw_enabled_str);