diff --git a/app/flatpak-main.c b/app/flatpak-main.c
index c50657f7..07828e9f 100644
--- a/app/flatpak-main.c
+++ b/app/flatpak-main.c
@@ -745,7 +745,12 @@ flatpak_run (int      argc,
 
   check_environment ();
 
-  polkit_agent = install_polkit_agent ();
+  /* Don't talk to dbus in enter, as it must be thread-free to setns, also
+     skip run/build for performance reasons (no need to connect to dbus). */
+  if (g_strcmp0 (command->name, "enter") != 0 &&
+      g_strcmp0 (command->name, "run") != 0 &&
+      g_strcmp0 (command->name, "build") != 0)
+    polkit_agent = install_polkit_agent ();
 
   if (!command->fn (argc, argv, cancellable, &error))
     goto out;