diff --git a/portal/flatpak-portal.c b/portal/flatpak-portal.c
index 3a43fae8..42dd0a7c 100644
--- a/portal/flatpak-portal.c
+++ b/portal/flatpak-portal.c
@@ -749,6 +749,8 @@ on_bus_acquired (GDBusConnection *connection,
 
   g_debug ("Bus acquired, creating skeleton");
 
+  g_dbus_connection_set_exit_on_close (connection, FALSE);
+
   portal = portal_flatpak_skeleton_new ();
 
   g_dbus_connection_signal_subscribe (connection,
diff --git a/system-helper/flatpak-system-helper.c b/system-helper/flatpak-system-helper.c
index ebab4071..2c53e199 100644
--- a/system-helper/flatpak-system-helper.c
+++ b/system-helper/flatpak-system-helper.c
@@ -1505,6 +1505,8 @@ on_bus_acquired (GDBusConnection *connection,
 
   g_debug ("Bus acquired, creating skeleton");
 
+  g_dbus_connection_set_exit_on_close (connection, FALSE);
+
   helper = flatpak_system_helper_skeleton_new ();
 
   flatpak_system_helper_set_version (FLATPAK_SYSTEM_HELPER (helper), 2);