diff --git a/client/internal/routemanager/systemops_nonandroid.go b/client/internal/routemanager/systemops_nonandroid.go
index 3958e0e05..3ddf72686 100644
--- a/client/internal/routemanager/systemops_nonandroid.go
+++ b/client/internal/routemanager/systemops_nonandroid.go
@@ -55,11 +55,15 @@ func getExistingRIBRouteGateway(prefix netip.Prefix) (net.IP, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	_, gateway, _, err := r.Route(prefix.Addr().AsSlice())
+	_, gateway, preferredSrc, err := r.Route(prefix.Addr().AsSlice())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("getting routes returned an error: %v", err)
 		return nil, errRouteNotFound
 	}
 
+	if gateway == nil {
+		return preferredSrc, nil
+	}
+
 	return gateway, nil
 }