diff --git a/client/internal/routemanager/iptables_linux.go b/client/internal/routemanager/iptables_linux.go
index 3e3c16919..c3128d0cd 100644
--- a/client/internal/routemanager/iptables_linux.go
+++ b/client/internal/routemanager/iptables_linux.go
@@ -395,6 +395,10 @@ func (i *iptablesManager) insertRoutingRule(keyFormat, table, chain, jump string
 		ipVersion = ipv6
 	}
 
+	if iptablesClient == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to insert iptables routing rules. Iptables client is not initialized")
+	}
+
 	ruleKey := genKey(keyFormat, pair.ID)
 	rule := genRuleSpec(jump, ruleKey, pair.source, pair.destination)
 	existingRule, found := i.rules[ipVersion][ruleKey]
@@ -459,6 +463,10 @@ func (i *iptablesManager) removeRoutingRule(keyFormat, table, chain string, pair
 		ipVersion = ipv6
 	}
 
+	if iptablesClient == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to remove iptables routing rules. Iptables client is not initialized")
+	}
+
 	ruleKey := genKey(keyFormat, pair.ID)
 	existingRule, found := i.rules[ipVersion][ruleKey]
 	if found {