diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-disable.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-disable.c
index 93c316bf7..bae11b256 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-disable.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-disable.c
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@
 #include "common.h"
 #include "config.h"
 
+static gboolean
+disable_extension_gsettings (const char *uuid)
+{
+  g_autoptr(GSettings) settings = get_shell_settings ();
+
+  if (settings == NULL)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  return settings_list_remove (settings, "enabled-extensions", uuid) &&
+         settings_list_add (settings, "disabled-extensions", uuid);
+}
+
 static gboolean
 disable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
                         const char *uuid)
@@ -42,10 +54,7 @@ disable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
                                      &error);
 
   if (response == NULL)
-    {
-      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell\n"));
-      return FALSE;
-    }
+      return disable_extension_gsettings (uuid);
 
   g_variant_get (response, "(b)", &success);
 
@@ -55,18 +64,6 @@ disable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
   return success;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-disable_extension_gsettings (const char *uuid)
-{
-  g_autoptr(GSettings) settings = get_shell_settings ();
-
-  if (settings == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
-
-  return settings_list_remove (settings, "enabled-extensions", uuid) &&
-         settings_list_add (settings, "disabled-extensions", uuid);
-}
-
 static gboolean
 disable_extension (const char *uuid)
 {
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-enable.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-enable.c
index 6ae3a8351..712de4a3d 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-enable.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-enable.c
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@
 #include "common.h"
 #include "config.h"
 
+static gboolean
+enable_extension_gsettings (const char *uuid)
+{
+  g_autoptr(GSettings) settings = get_shell_settings ();
+
+  if (settings == NULL)
+    return FALSE;
+
+  return settings_list_add (settings, "enabled-extensions", uuid) &&
+         settings_list_remove (settings, "disabled-extensions", uuid);
+}
+
 static gboolean
 enable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
                        const char *uuid)
@@ -42,10 +54,7 @@ enable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
                                      &error);
 
   if (response == NULL)
-    {
-      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell\n"));
-      return FALSE;
-    }
+    return enable_extension_gsettings (uuid);
 
   g_variant_get (response, "(b)", &success);
 
@@ -55,18 +64,6 @@ enable_extension_dbus (GDBusProxy *proxy,
   return success;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-enable_extension_gsettings (const char *uuid)
-{
-  g_autoptr(GSettings) settings = get_shell_settings ();
-
-  if (settings == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
-
-  return settings_list_add (settings, "enabled-extensions", uuid) &&
-         settings_list_remove (settings, "disabled-extensions", uuid);
-}
-
 static gboolean
 enable_extension (const char *uuid)
 {