diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
index be50147b8..8aff48a4b 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.c
@@ -856,6 +856,16 @@ bool pw_manager_object_is_monitor(struct pw_manager_object *o)
 		(strcmp(str, "Audio/Sink") == 0);
 }
 
+bool pw_manager_object_is_virtual(struct pw_manager_object *o)
+{
+	const char *str;
+	struct pw_node_info *info;
+	return strcmp(o->type, PW_TYPE_INTERFACE_Node) == 0 &&
+		(info = o->info) != NULL && info->props != NULL &&
+		(str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_NODE_VIRTUAL)) != NULL &&
+		pw_properties_parse_bool(str);
+}
+
 bool pw_manager_object_is_source_or_monitor(struct pw_manager_object *o)
 {
 	return pw_manager_object_is_source(o) || pw_manager_object_is_monitor(o);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.h
index 67af4f835..ba7bc17f6 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/manager.h
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ bool pw_manager_object_is_card(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_sink(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_source(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_monitor(struct pw_manager_object *o);
+bool pw_manager_object_is_virtual(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_source_or_monitor(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_sink_input(struct pw_manager_object *o);
 bool pw_manager_object_is_source_output(struct pw_manager_object *o);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index 07df01f9a..02df1eae1 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -4166,7 +4166,8 @@ static int fill_sink_input_info(struct client *client, struct message *m,
 
 	if ((str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_MODULE_ID)) != NULL)
 		module_id = (uint32_t)atoi(str);
-	if ((str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_CLIENT_ID)) != NULL)
+	if (!pw_manager_object_is_virtual(o) &&
+	    (str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_CLIENT_ID)) != NULL)
 		client_id = (uint32_t)atoi(str);
 
 	collect_device_info(o, NULL, &dev_info);
@@ -4236,7 +4237,8 @@ static int fill_source_output_info(struct client *client, struct message *m,
 
 	if ((str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_MODULE_ID)) != NULL)
 		module_id = (uint32_t)atoi(str);
-	if ((str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_CLIENT_ID)) != NULL)
+	if (!pw_manager_object_is_virtual(o) &&
+	    (str = spa_dict_lookup(info->props, PW_KEY_CLIENT_ID)) != NULL)
 		client_id = (uint32_t)atoi(str);
 
 	collect_device_info(o, NULL, &dev_info);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/keys.h b/src/pipewire/keys.h
index 481be53fe..de365449a 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/keys.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/keys.h
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #define PW_KEY_NODE_DRIVER		"node.driver"		/**< node can drive the graph */
 #define PW_KEY_NODE_STREAM		"node.stream"		/**< node is a stream, the server side should
 								  *  add a converter */
+#define PW_KEY_NODE_VIRTUAL		"node.virtual"		/**< the node is some sort of virtual
+								  *  object */
 /** Port keys */
 #define PW_KEY_PORT_ID			"port.id"		/**< port id */
 #define PW_KEY_PORT_NAME		"port.name"		/**< port name */