diff --git a/lib/nodes/iec61850_goose.cpp b/lib/nodes/iec61850_goose.cpp
index 45003a1c3..fd2c471d5 100644
--- a/lib/nodes/iec61850_goose.cpp
+++ b/lib/nodes/iec61850_goose.cpp
@@ -445,9 +445,13 @@ void GooseNode::createPublishers() {
 
       ctx.publisher =
           GoosePublisher_createEx(&comm, output.interface_id.c_str(), false);
+      if (!ctx.publisher)
+        throw RuntimeError{"failed to create GOOSE publisher"};
     } else {
       ctx.publisher =
           GoosePublisher_createRemote(output.session, ctx.config.app_id);
+      if (!ctx.publisher)
+        throw RuntimeError{"failed to create R-GOOSE publisher"};
     }
 
     if (!ctx.config.go_id.empty())
@@ -1061,6 +1065,8 @@ int GooseNode::prepare() {
 
   if (in.enabled) {
     createReceiver();
+  }
+  if (out.enabled) {
     createPublishers();
   }
 
diff --git a/packaging/deps.sh b/packaging/deps.sh
index b1b65db09..35e0f840c 100644
--- a/packaging/deps.sh
+++ b/packaging/deps.sh
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ python3 -m venv ${PIP_PREFIX}
 python3 -m pip install \
     --prefix=${PIP_PREFIX} \
     --upgrade \
-    pip \
+    pip==25.3 \
     setuptools \
 
 python3 -m pip install \