diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
index 929ddbbbc..18ddfa6bc 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
@@ -1699,6 +1699,11 @@ struct pw_impl_client_node *pw_impl_client_node_new(struct pw_resource *resource
 	if (this->node == NULL)
 		goto error_no_node;
 
+	if (this->node->data_loop == NULL) {
+		errno = EIO;
+		goto error_no_node;
+	}
+
 	impl->data_loop = this->node->data_loop->loop;
 	impl->data_system = this->node->data_loop->system;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
index 12617a1e1..356ca115d 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/remote-node.c
@@ -1187,6 +1187,9 @@ static struct pw_proxy *node_export(struct pw_core *core, void *object, bool do_
 	struct pw_proxy *client_node;
 	struct node_data *data;
 
+	if (node->data_loop == NULL)
+		goto error;
+
 	user_data_size = SPA_ROUND_UP_N(user_data_size, __alignof__(struct node_data));
 
 	client_node = pw_core_create_object(core,