diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-enum.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-enum.c
index 588ba01a2..9ef7d2bf5 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-enum.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-enum.c
@@ -808,6 +808,8 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
+	g_dbus_connection_set_exit_on_close(this->conn, FALSE);
+
 	this->manager = g_dbus_object_manager_server_new(MIDI_OBJECT_PATH);
 	if (!this->manager){
 		spa_log_error(this->log, "Creating GDBus object manager failed");
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-node.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-node.c
index 317b0294b..af8c9aa6a 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-node.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/midi-node.c
@@ -1979,6 +1979,8 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
+	g_dbus_connection_set_exit_on_close(this->conn, FALSE);
+
 	this->node.iface = SPA_INTERFACE_INIT(
 		SPA_TYPE_INTERFACE_Node,
 				SPA_VERSION_NODE,