diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
index f03bf78b5..f95ae3692 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
@@ -713,6 +713,8 @@ int pw_manager_set_metadata(struct pw_manager *manager,
 		return -ENOTSUP;
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(metadata->permissions, PW_PERM_W|PW_PERM_X))
 		return -EACCES;
+	if (metadata->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
 
 	if (type != NULL) {
 		va_start(args, format);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index a3dd92407..2e1e83ec4 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -3045,6 +3045,8 @@ static int set_node_volume_mute(struct pw_manager_object *o,
 
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(o->permissions, PW_PERM_W | PW_PERM_X))
 		return -EACCES;
+	if (o->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
 
 	spa_pod_builder_push_object(&b, &f[0],
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Props,  SPA_PARAM_Props);
@@ -3075,6 +3077,9 @@ static int set_card_volume_mute_delay(struct pw_manager_object *o, uint32_t id,
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(o->permissions, PW_PERM_W | PW_PERM_X))
 		return -EACCES;
 
+	if (o->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
 	spa_pod_builder_push_object(&b, &f[0],
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_ParamRoute, SPA_PARAM_Route);
 	spa_pod_builder_add(&b,
@@ -3115,6 +3120,9 @@ static int set_card_port(struct pw_manager_object *o, uint32_t device_id,
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(o->permissions, PW_PERM_W | PW_PERM_X))
 		return -EACCES;
 
+	if (o->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
 	pw_device_set_param((struct pw_device*)o->proxy,
 			SPA_PARAM_Route, 0,
 			spa_pod_builder_add_object(&b,
@@ -4905,6 +4913,9 @@ static int do_set_profile(struct client *client, uint32_t command, uint32_t tag,
 	if (!SPA_FLAG_IS_SET(o->permissions, PW_PERM_W | PW_PERM_X))
 		return -EACCES;
 
+	if (o->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
         pw_device_set_param((struct pw_device*)o->proxy,
                         SPA_PARAM_Profile, 0,
                         spa_pod_builder_add_object(&b,
@@ -4977,6 +4988,9 @@ static int do_suspend(struct client *client, uint32_t command, uint32_t tag, str
 	if ((o = find_device(client, id, name, sink)) == NULL)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
+	if (o->proxy == NULL)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
 	if (suspend) {
 		cmd = SPA_NODE_COMMAND_Suspend;
 		pw_node_send_command((struct pw_node*)o->proxy, &SPA_NODE_COMMAND_INIT(cmd));