diff --git a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
index 6602d730b9..d521adffed 100644
--- a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
+++ b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ nwfilterStateInitialize(bool privileged,
     char *base = NULL;
     DBusConnection *sysbus = NULL;
 
+    if (!privileged)
+        return 0;
+
 #if WITH_DBUS
     if (virDBusHasSystemBus() &&
         !(sysbus = virDBusGetSystemBus()))
@@ -190,9 +193,6 @@ nwfilterStateInitialize(bool privileged,
     driverState->watchingFirewallD = (sysbus != NULL);
     driverState->privileged = privileged;
 
-    if (!privileged)
-        return 0;
-
     nwfilterDriverLock(driverState);
 
     if (virNWFilterIPAddrMapInit() < 0)