diff --git a/sidebus-common/src/rewrite.rs b/sidebus-common/src/rewrite.rs
index a21e255..6f73557 100644
--- a/sidebus-common/src/rewrite.rs
+++ b/sidebus-common/src/rewrite.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 //! Utility for rewriting zbus::Messages (since they're immutable, we need to do this to "edit" them)
 
+use tracing::trace;
+
 pub struct RewriteMessage<'a> {
     builder: zbus::message::Builder<'a>,
     header: zbus::message::Header<'a>,
@@ -30,7 +32,14 @@ impl<'a> RewriteMessage<'a> {
         .serial(header.primary().serial_num())
         .endian(header.primary().endian_sig().into());
         for flag in header.primary().flags().iter() {
-            builder = builder.with_flags(flag)?;
+            if original.message_type() != zbus::message::Type::MethodCall
+                && flag == zbus::message::Flags::NoReplyExpected
+            {
+                // clients like to set it on MethodReturn, but with_flags rejects that
+                trace!(type = ?original.message_type(), "NoReplyExpected flag on non-MethodCall");
+            } else {
+                builder = builder.with_flags(flag)?;
+            }
         }
         if let Some(sender) = header.sender() {
             builder = builder.sender(sender)?;