diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
index defc93666..1edad039e 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.c
@@ -1298,7 +1298,8 @@ static const struct pw_resource_events resource_events = {
  * \memberof pw_client_node
  */
 struct pw_client_node *pw_client_node_new(struct pw_resource *resource,
-					  struct pw_properties *properties)
+					  struct pw_properties *properties,
+					  bool do_register)
 {
 	struct impl *impl;
 	struct pw_client_node *this;
@@ -1335,7 +1336,8 @@ struct pw_client_node *pw_client_node_new(struct pw_resource *resource,
 				     pw_resource_get_client(this->resource),
 				     NULL,
 				     name,
-				     PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ASYNC,
+				     PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ASYNC |
+				     (do_register ? 0 : PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_NO_REGISTER),
 				     &impl->node.node,
 				     NULL,
 				     properties, 0);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.h b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.h
index e51f475e1..2f484392f 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-client-node/client-node.h
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ struct pw_client_node {
 
 struct pw_client_node *
 pw_client_node_new(struct pw_resource *resource,
-		   struct pw_properties *properties);
+		   struct pw_properties *properties,
+		   bool do_register);
 
 void
 pw_client_node_destroy(struct pw_client_node *node);
diff --git a/src/modules/spa/spa-node.c b/src/modules/spa/spa-node.c
index 38120fa3f..bd8cfd59c 100644
--- a/src/modules/spa/spa-node.c
+++ b/src/modules/spa/spa-node.c
@@ -75,10 +75,16 @@ static void pw_spa_node_destroy(void *data)
 static void complete_init(struct impl *impl)
 {
         struct pw_node *this = impl->this;
-	if (impl->flags & PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_DISABLE)
+
+	if (SPA_FLAG_CHECK(impl->flags, PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_DISABLE))
 		pw_node_set_enabled(this, false);
-	pw_node_register(this, impl->owner, impl->parent, NULL);
-	if (impl->flags & PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ACTIVATE)
+
+	if (!SPA_FLAG_CHECK(impl->flags, PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_NO_REGISTER))
+		pw_node_register(this, impl->owner, impl->parent, NULL);
+	else
+		pw_node_initialized(this);
+
+	if (SPA_FLAG_CHECK(impl->flags, PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ACTIVATE))
 		pw_node_set_active(this, true);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/spa/spa-node.h b/src/modules/spa/spa-node.h
index 61bdcd5d0..476c71085 100644
--- a/src/modules/spa/spa-node.h
+++ b/src/modules/spa/spa-node.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ enum pw_spa_node_flags {
 	PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ASYNC		= (1 << 0),
 	PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_DISABLE	= (1 << 1),
 	PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_ACTIVATE	= (1 << 2),
+	PW_SPA_NODE_FLAG_NO_REGISTER	= (1 << 3),
 };
 
 struct pw_node *
diff --git a/src/pipewire/node.c b/src/pipewire/node.c
index 40afc814d..8f456d5c2 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/node.c
@@ -383,10 +383,13 @@ int pw_node_register(struct pw_node *this,
 		pw_port_register(port, owner, this->global,
 				 pw_properties_copy(port->properties));
 
+	return pw_node_initialized(this);
+}
+
+int pw_node_initialized(struct pw_node *this)
+{
 	spa_hook_list_call(&this->listener_list, struct pw_node_events, initialized);
-
 	pw_node_update_state(this, PW_NODE_STATE_SUSPENDED, NULL);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index 69976595c..18665250d 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -599,6 +599,8 @@ void pw_node_update_state(struct pw_node *node, enum pw_node_state state, char *
 
 int pw_node_update_ports(struct pw_node *node);
 
+int pw_node_initialized(struct pw_node *node);
+
 /** Activate a link \memberof pw_link
   * Starts the negotiation of formats and buffers on \a link and then
   * starts data streaming */