diff --git a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
index 254f9c855..f550a85cf 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
@@ -5085,6 +5085,8 @@ _infiniband_partition_action (NMPlatform *platform, int parent, int p_key, const
 	gs_free char *path = NULL;
 	gs_free char *id = NULL;
 
+	nm_assert (p_key > 0 && p_key <= 0xffff && p_key != 0x8000);
+
 	obj_parent = nmp_cache_lookup_link (priv->cache, parent);
 	if (!obj_parent || !obj_parent->link.name[0])
 		g_return_val_if_reached (FALSE);
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
index 0139867a0..43532ebf3 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
@@ -1902,7 +1902,11 @@ _infiniband_add_add_or_delete (NMPlatform *self,
 	_CHECK_SELF (self, klass, NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_BUG);
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (parent >= 0, NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_BUG);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (p_key >= 0, NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_BUG);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (p_key >= 0 && p_key <= 0xffff, NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_BUG);
+
+	/* the special keys 0x0000 and 0x8000 are not allowed. */
+	if (NM_IN_SET (p_key, 0, 0x8000))
+		return NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_UNSPECIFIED;
 
 	parent_link = nm_platform_link_get (self, parent);
 	if (!parent_link)