diff --git a/net/modemmanager/files/modemmanager.proto b/net/modemmanager/files/modemmanager.proto
index d24910b984..855060f06e 100755
--- a/net/modemmanager/files/modemmanager.proto
+++ b/net/modemmanager/files/modemmanager.proto
@@ -515,7 +515,8 @@ proto_modemmanager_teardown() {
 	modemstatus=$(mmcli --modem="${device}" --output-keyvalue)
 	bearerpath=$(modemmanager_get_field "${modemstatus}" "modem.generic.bearers.value\[1\]")
 	[ -n "${bearerpath}" ] || {
-		echo "couldn't load bearer path"
+		echo "couldn't load bearer path: disconnecting anyway"
+		mmcli --modem="${device}" --simple-disconnect >/dev/null 2>&1
 		return
 	}