diff --git a/src/core/dbus.c b/src/core/dbus.c
index 305824da9b..d023c8715c 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus.c
@@ -1197,6 +1197,11 @@ int bus_foreach_bus(
 
         /* Send to all direct buses, unconditionally */
         SET_FOREACH(b, m->private_buses, i) {
+
+                /* Don't bother with enqueing these messages to clients that haven't started yet */
+                if (sd_bus_is_ready(b) <= 0)
+                        continue;
+
                 r = send_message(b, userdata);
                 if (r < 0)
                         ret = r;