diff --git a/libfprint/fpi-async.c b/libfprint/fpi-async.c
index 14a8bbd..9e89e3e 100644
--- a/libfprint/fpi-async.c
+++ b/libfprint/fpi-async.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "fp_internal.h"
 #include "fpi-async.h"
+#include "fpi-poll.h"
 
 #include <config.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ API_EXPORTED int fp_async_enroll_start(struct fp_dev *dev,
 	int r;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(dev != NULL, -ENODEV);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (fpi_poll_is_setup(), -EIO);
 
 	drv = dev->drv;
 
@@ -270,6 +272,7 @@ API_EXPORTED int fp_async_verify_start(struct fp_dev *dev,
 	int r;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(dev != NULL, -ENODEV);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (fpi_poll_is_setup(), -EIO);
 
 	drv = dev->drv;
 
@@ -396,6 +399,7 @@ API_EXPORTED int fp_async_identify_start(struct fp_dev *dev,
 	int r;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(dev != NULL, -ENODEV);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (fpi_poll_is_setup(), -EIO);
 
 	drv = dev->drv;
 
@@ -522,6 +526,7 @@ API_EXPORTED int fp_async_capture_start(struct fp_dev *dev, int unconditional,
 	int r;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(dev != NULL, -ENODEV);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (fpi_poll_is_setup(), -EIO);
 
 	drv = dev->drv;