diff --git a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
index 10afa18ff..6fe685e25 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
@@ -429,7 +429,9 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (NMLinuxPlatform, nm_linux_platform, NM_TYPE_PLATFORM)
 void
 nm_linux_platform_setup (void)
 {
-	nm_platform_setup (g_object_new (NM_TYPE_LINUX_PLATFORM, NULL));
+	g_object_new (NM_TYPE_LINUX_PLATFORM,
+	              NM_PLATFORM_REGISTER_SINGLETON, TRUE,
+	              NULL);
 }
 
 /******************************************************************/
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
index caad16e2c..da1cea829 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ enum {
 
 static guint signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 
+enum {
+	PROP_0,
+	PROP_REGISTER_SINGLETON,
+	LAST_PROP,
+};
+
+typedef struct {
+	gboolean register_singleton;
+} NMPlatformPrivate;
+
 /******************************************************************/
 
 /* Singleton NMPlatform subclass instance and cached class object */
@@ -3119,6 +3129,35 @@ const NMPlatformVTableRoute nm_platform_vtable_route_v6 = {
 
 /******************************************************************/
 
+static void
+set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
+              const GValue *value, GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+	NMPlatformPrivate *priv =  NM_PLATFORM_GET_PRIVATE (object);
+
+	switch (prop_id) {
+	case PROP_REGISTER_SINGLETON:
+		/* construct-only */
+		priv->register_singleton = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+		break;
+	default:
+		G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+constructed (GObject *object)
+{
+	NMPlatform *self = NM_PLATFORM (object);
+	NMPlatformPrivate *priv =  NM_PLATFORM_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_platform_parent_class)->constructed (object);
+
+	if (priv->register_singleton)
+		nm_platform_setup (self);
+}
+
 static void
 nm_platform_init (NMPlatform *object)
 {
@@ -3137,8 +3176,21 @@ nm_platform_class_init (NMPlatformClass *platform_class)
 {
 	GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (platform_class);
 
+	g_type_class_add_private (object_class, sizeof (NMPlatformPrivate));
+
+	object_class->set_property = set_property;
+	object_class->constructed = constructed;
+
 	platform_class->wifi_set_powersave = wifi_set_powersave;
 
+	g_object_class_install_property
+	 (object_class, PROP_REGISTER_SINGLETON,
+	     g_param_spec_boolean (NM_PLATFORM_REGISTER_SINGLETON, "", "",
+	                           FALSE,
+	                           G_PARAM_WRITABLE |
+	                           G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+	                           G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
+
 	/* Signals */
 	SIGNAL (SIGNAL_LINK_CHANGED, log_link)
 	SIGNAL (SIGNAL_IP4_ADDRESS_CHANGED, log_ip4_address)
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.h b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
index 62247bc31..81771b87f 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@
 
 /******************************************************************/
 
+#define NM_PLATFORM_REGISTER_SINGLETON "register-singleton"
+
+/******************************************************************/
+
 typedef struct _NMPlatform NMPlatform;
 
 /* workaround for older libnl version, that does not define these flags. */