diff --git a/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.cpp b/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.cpp
index 768cb4a7884..f8923489923 100644
--- a/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.cpp
@@ -135,19 +135,25 @@ static QDBusInterface getPrimaryDevice(const QDBusObjectPath &devicePath)
                           QDBusConnection::systemBus());
 }
 
-auto QNetworkManagerInterface::deviceType() const -> NMDeviceType
+std::optional<QDBusObjectPath> QNetworkManagerInterface::primaryConnectionDevicePath() const
 {
     auto it = propertyMap.constFind(u"PrimaryConnection"_qs);
     if (it != propertyMap.cend())
-        return extractDeviceType(it->value<QDBusObjectPath>());
+        return it->value<QDBusObjectPath>();
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+auto QNetworkManagerInterface::deviceType() const -> NMDeviceType
+{
+    if (const auto path = primaryConnectionDevicePath())
+        return extractDeviceType(*path);
     return NM_DEVICE_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
 auto QNetworkManagerInterface::meteredState() const -> NMMetered
 {
-    auto it = propertyMap.constFind(u"PrimaryConnection"_qs);
-    if (it != propertyMap.cend())
-        return extractDeviceMetered(it->value<QDBusObjectPath>());
+    if (const auto path = primaryConnectionDevicePath())
+        return extractDeviceMetered(*path);
     return NM_METERED_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.h b/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.h
index d248c4a40ca..f13ec88ad56 100644
--- a/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.h
+++ b/src/plugins/networkinformation/networkmanager/qnetworkmanagerservice.h
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 #include <QtDBus/QDBusPendingCallWatcher>
 #include <QtDBus/QDBusObjectPath>
 
+#include <optional>
+
 // Matches 'NMDeviceState' from https://developer.gnome.org/NetworkManager/stable/nm-dbus-types.html
 enum NMDeviceState {
     NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNKNOWN = 0,
@@ -184,6 +186,8 @@ private:
     NMDeviceType extractDeviceType(const QDBusObjectPath &devicePath) const;
     NMMetered extractDeviceMetered(const QDBusObjectPath &devicePath) const;
 
+    std::optional<QDBusObjectPath> primaryConnectionDevicePath() const;
+
     QVariantMap propertyMap;
 };