diff --git a/tools/obexctl.c b/tools/obexctl.c
index a398b09..9adf808 100644
--- a/tools/obexctl.c
+++ b/tools/obexctl.c
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@
 #define OBEX_PBAP_INTERFACE "org.bluez.obex.PhonebookAccess1"
 #define OBEX_MAP_INTERFACE "org.bluez.obex.MessageAccess1"
 #define OBEX_MSG_INTERFACE "org.bluez.obex.Message1"
+#define OBEXD_SERVICE  "org.bluez.obex"
 
-static DBusConnection *dbus_conn;
+static DBusConnection *dbus_session_conn;
+static DBusConnection *dbus_system_conn;
 static GDBusProxy *default_session;
 static GList *sessions = NULL;
 static GList *opps = NULL;
@@ -2149,19 +2151,47 @@ static void property_changed(GDBusProxy *proxy, const char *name,
 		session_property_changed(proxy, name, iter);
 }
 
+static bool check_obexd_service(DBusConnection *conn)
+{
+	DBusError err;
+	bool has_owner;
+
+	dbus_error_init(&err);
+	has_owner = dbus_bus_name_has_owner(conn, OBEXD_SERVICE, &err);
+
+	if (dbus_error_is_set(&err))
+		dbus_error_free(&err);
+
+	return has_owner;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	GDBusClient *client;
+	GDBusClient *client = NULL;
 	int status;
+	bool session_bus_active;
+	bool system_bus_active;
 
 	bt_shell_init(argc, argv, NULL);
 	bt_shell_set_menu(&main_menu);
 	bt_shell_set_prompt(PROMPT, NULL);
 
-	dbus_conn = g_dbus_setup_bus(DBUS_BUS_SESSION, NULL, NULL);
+	session_bus_active = false;
+	system_bus_active = false;
+	dbus_session_conn = g_dbus_setup_bus(DBUS_BUS_SESSION, NULL, NULL);
+	if (dbus_session_conn)
+		session_bus_active = check_obexd_service(dbus_session_conn);
 
-	client = g_dbus_client_new(dbus_conn, "org.bluez.obex",
-							"/org/bluez/obex");
+	dbus_system_conn = g_dbus_setup_bus(DBUS_BUS_SYSTEM, NULL, NULL);
+	if (dbus_system_conn)
+		system_bus_active = check_obexd_service(dbus_system_conn);
+
+	if (session_bus_active)
+		client = g_dbus_client_new(dbus_session_conn, OBEXD_SERVICE,
+								"/org/bluez/obex");
+	else if (system_bus_active)
+		client = g_dbus_client_new(dbus_system_conn, OBEXD_SERVICE,
+								"/org/bluez/obex");
 
 	g_dbus_client_set_connect_watch(client, connect_handler, NULL);
 	g_dbus_client_set_disconnect_watch(client, disconnect_handler, NULL);
@@ -2171,9 +2201,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	status = bt_shell_run();
 
-	g_dbus_client_unref(client);
+	if (client)
+		g_dbus_client_unref(client);
+
+	if (dbus_session_conn)
+		dbus_connection_unref(dbus_session_conn);
 
-	dbus_connection_unref(dbus_conn);
+	if (dbus_system_conn)
+		dbus_connection_unref(dbus_system_conn);
 
 	return status;
 }