diff --git a/libnm-util/nm-setting-bond.c b/libnm-util/nm-setting-bond.c
index 66eab2cbd..88b1851d4 100644
--- a/libnm-util/nm-setting-bond.c
+++ b/libnm-util/nm-setting-bond.c
@@ -330,7 +330,9 @@ nm_setting_bond_get_option_by_name (NMSettingBond *setting,
                                     const char *name)
 {
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_SETTING_BOND (setting), NULL);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, NULL), NULL);
+
+	if (!nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, NULL))
+		return NULL;
 
 	return g_hash_table_lookup (NM_SETTING_BOND_GET_PRIVATE (setting)->options, name);
 }
@@ -346,18 +348,23 @@ nm_setting_bond_get_option_by_name (NMSettingBond *setting,
  * (ie [a-zA-Z0-9]).  Adding a new name replaces any existing name/value pair
  * that may already exist.
  *
+ * The order of how to set several options is relevant because there are options
+ * that conflict with each other.
+ *
  * Returns: %TRUE if the option was valid and was added to the internal option
  * list, %FALSE if it was not.
  **/
-gboolean nm_setting_bond_add_option (NMSettingBond *setting,
-                                     const char *name,
-                                     const char *value)
+gboolean
+nm_setting_bond_add_option (NMSettingBond *setting,
+                            const char *name,
+                            const char *value)
 {
 	NMSettingBondPrivate *priv;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_SETTING_BOND (setting), FALSE);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, value), FALSE);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (value != NULL, FALSE);
+
+	if (!value || !nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, value))
+		return FALSE;
 
 	priv = NM_SETTING_BOND_GET_PRIVATE (setting);
 
@@ -397,7 +404,9 @@ nm_setting_bond_remove_option (NMSettingBond *setting,
 	gboolean found;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_SETTING_BOND (setting), FALSE);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, NULL), FALSE);
+
+	if (!nm_setting_bond_validate_option (name, NULL))
+		return FALSE;
 
 	found = g_hash_table_remove (NM_SETTING_BOND_GET_PRIVATE (setting)->options, name);
 	if (found)