diff --git a/clients/cli/utils.c b/clients/cli/utils.c
index ff41019d9..0f823b5c9 100644
--- a/clients/cli/utils.c
+++ b/clients/cli/utils.c
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ _meta_type_nmc_generic_info_get_nested (const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info,
 	return (const NMMetaAbstractInfo *const*) info->nested;
 }
 
-static const char *
+static gconstpointer
 _meta_type_nmc_generic_info_get_fcn (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
                                      gpointer environment_user_data,
                                      const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info,
                                      gpointer target,
                                      NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
                                      NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
-                                     char **out_to_free)
+                                     gpointer *out_to_free)
 {
 	const NmcMetaGenericInfo *info = (const NmcMetaGenericInfo *) abstract_info;
 
diff --git a/clients/cli/utils.h b/clients/cli/utils.h
index 2c295be7e..bc206f253 100644
--- a/clients/cli/utils.h
+++ b/clients/cli/utils.h
@@ -104,13 +104,13 @@ struct _NmcMetaGenericInfo {
 	const NMMetaType *meta_type;
 	const char *name;
 	const NmcMetaGenericInfo *const*nested;
-	const char *(*get_fcn) (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
-	                        gpointer environment_user_data,
-	                        const NmcMetaGenericInfo *info,
-	                        gpointer target,
-	                        NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
-	                        NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
-	                        char **out_to_free);
+	gconstpointer (*get_fcn) (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
+	                          gpointer environment_user_data,
+	                          const NmcMetaGenericInfo *info,
+	                          gpointer target,
+	                          NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
+	                          NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
+	                          gpointer *out_to_free);
 };
 
 #define NMC_META_GENERIC(n, ...) \
diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 0d602a595..a41e19e4e 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -6632,32 +6632,37 @@ _meta_type_property_info_get_name (const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info)
 	return ((const NMMetaPropertyInfo *) abstract_info)->property_name;
 }
 
-static const char *
+static gconstpointer
 _meta_type_setting_info_editor_get_fcn (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
                                         gpointer environment_user_data,
                                         const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info,
                                         gpointer target,
                                         NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
                                         NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
-                                        char **out_to_free)
+                                        gpointer *out_to_free)
 {
 	nm_assert (out_to_free && !out_to_free);
 	g_return_val_if_reached (NULL);
 }
 
-static const char *
+static gconstpointer
 _meta_type_property_info_get_fcn (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
                                   gpointer environment_user_data,
                                   const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info,
                                   gpointer target,
                                   NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
                                   NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
-                                  char **out_to_free)
+                                  gpointer *out_to_free)
 {
 	const NMMetaPropertyInfo *info = (const NMMetaPropertyInfo *) abstract_info;
 
 	nm_assert (out_to_free && !out_to_free);
 
+	if (!NM_IN_SET (get_type,
+	                NM_META_ACCESSOR_GET_TYPE_PARSABLE,
+	                NM_META_ACCESSOR_GET_TYPE_PRETTY))
+		return NULL;
+
 	return (*out_to_free = info->property_type->get_fcn (environment, environment_user_data,
 	                                                     info, target,
 	                                                     get_type, get_flags));
diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.h b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.h
index 352d447a5..2b35f1c10 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.h
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.h
@@ -149,13 +149,13 @@ struct _NMMetaType {
 	const NMMetaAbstractInfo *const*(*get_nested) (const NMMetaAbstractInfo *abstract_info,
 	                                               guint *out_len,
 	                                               gpointer *out_to_free);
-	const char *(*get_fcn) (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
-	                        gpointer environment_user_data,
-	                        const NMMetaAbstractInfo *info,
-	                        gpointer target,
-	                        NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
-	                        NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
-	                        char **out_to_free);
+	gconstpointer (*get_fcn) (const NMMetaEnvironment *environment,
+	                          gpointer environment_user_data,
+	                          const NMMetaAbstractInfo *info,
+	                          gpointer target,
+	                          NMMetaAccessorGetType get_type,
+	                          NMMetaAccessorGetFlags get_flags,
+	                          gpointer *out_to_free);
 };
 
 struct _NMMetaAbstractInfo {