diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
index 55851a68e..863f1418c 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-node.c
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ static void add_node(struct pw_impl_node *this, struct pw_impl_node *driver)
 	struct pw_node_activation_state *dstate, *nstate;
 	struct pw_node_target *t;
 
+	this->rt.added = true;
+
 	if (this->exported)
 		return;
 
@@ -128,6 +130,8 @@ static void remove_node(struct pw_impl_node *this)
 	struct pw_node_activation_state *dstate, *nstate;
 	struct pw_node_target *t;
 
+	this->rt.added = false;
+
 	if (this->exported)
 		return;
 
@@ -1078,6 +1082,14 @@ static inline int process_node(void *data)
 	a->status = PW_NODE_ACTIVATION_AWAKE;
 	a->awake_time = SPA_TIMESPEC_TO_NSEC(&ts);
 
+	if (!this->rt.added) {
+		/* FIXME we should try to avoid this by only activating the input
+		 * links after we add the node to the graph. Otherwise there is
+		 * no problem because the target (driver and peers) are not yet
+		 * waiting for our activation */
+		pw_log_debug("%p: scheduling non-active node", this);
+		return -EIO;
+	}
 	pw_log_trace_fp("%p: process %"PRIu64, this, a->awake_time);
 
 	/* when transport sync is not supported, just clear the flag */
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index 144e21bf1..71eae8ebb 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -750,6 +750,7 @@ struct pw_impl_node {
 		struct spa_list driver_link;		/* our link in driver */
 
 		struct ratelimit rate_limit;
+		unsigned int added:1;			/**< the node was add to graph */
 	} rt;
 	struct spa_fraction current_rate;
 	uint64_t current_quantum;