diff --git a/controller/northbound/server/networkElement.go b/controller/northbound/server/networkElement.go
index 9497fb24cb8aa1a082cb9d895e2ababa5b209eb4..4510896c7abe247988e84b4f7baf615f63dbebd8 100644
--- a/controller/northbound/server/networkElement.go
+++ b/controller/northbound/server/networkElement.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	mnepb "code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/api/go/gosdn/networkelement"
 	ppb "code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/api/go/gosdn/pnd"
 	tpb "code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/api/go/gosdn/transport"
+	"code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/controller/config"
 	"code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/controller/conflict"
 	"code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/controller/customerrs"
 	"code.fbi.h-da.de/danet/gosdn/controller/interfaces/change"
@@ -629,7 +630,9 @@ func (n *NetworkElementServer) addMne(ctx context.Context,
 			return uuid.Nil, err
 		}
 
-		n.networkElementWatchter.SubscribeToNetworkElement(mne, nil)
+		if mne.GetGnmiSubscriptionPaths() != nil || config.GetGnmiSubscriptionPaths() != nil {
+			n.networkElementWatchter.SubscribeToNetworkElement(mne, nil)
+		}
 	} else {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("invalid transport data provided")
 		return uuid.Nil, err