diff --git a/drivers/FileSR.py b/drivers/FileSR.py
index 9027679f2..1313c8c94 100755
--- a/drivers/FileSR.py
+++ b/drivers/FileSR.py
@@ -1103,21 +1103,23 @@ def _check_hardlinks(self):
                 self._raise_hardlink_error)
 
             os.link(test_name, link_name)
-            self.session.xenapi.SR.remove_from_sm_config(
-                self.sr_ref, SharedFileSR.NO_HARDLINK_SUPPORT)
+            if self.session:
+                self.session.xenapi.SR.remove_from_sm_config(
+                    self.sr_ref, SharedFileSR.NO_HARDLINK_SUPPORT)
         except OSError:
             msg = "File system for SR %s does not support hardlinks, crash " \
                 "consistency of snapshots cannot be assured" % self.uuid
             util.SMlog(msg, priority=util.LOG_WARNING)
-            try:
-                self.session.xenapi.SR.add_to_sm_config(
-                    self.sr_ref, SharedFileSR.NO_HARDLINK_SUPPORT, 'True')
-                self.session.xenapi.message.create(
-                    "sr_does_not_support_hardlinks", 2, "SR", self.uuid,
-                    msg)
-            except XenAPI.Failure:
-                # Might already be set and checking has TOCTOU issues
-                pass
+            if self.session:
+                try:
+                    self.session.xenapi.SR.add_to_sm_config(
+                        self.sr_ref, SharedFileSR.NO_HARDLINK_SUPPORT, 'True')
+                    self.session.xenapi.message.create(
+                        "sr_does_not_support_hardlinks", 2, "SR", self.uuid,
+                        msg)
+                except XenAPI.Failure:
+                    # Might already be set and checking has TOCTOU issues
+                    pass
         finally:
             util.force_unlink(link_name)
             util.force_unlink(test_name)
diff --git a/tests/test_FileSR.py b/tests/test_FileSR.py
index 72a0e6234..a98b8c2c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_FileSR.py
+++ b/tests/test_FileSR.py
@@ -478,6 +478,13 @@ def create_test_sr(self):
                         'sr_ref': TestShareFileSR.TEST_SR_REF}
         return FakeSharedFileSR(srcmd, self.sr_uuid)
 
+    def create_sessionless_test_sr(self):
+        srcmd = mock.Mock()
+        srcmd.dconf = {}
+        srcmd.params = {'command': "some_command",
+                        'sr_ref': TestShareFileSR.TEST_SR_REF}
+        return FakeSharedFileSR(srcmd, self.sr_uuid)
+
     def test_attach_success(self):
         """
         Attach SR on FS with expected features
@@ -529,6 +536,24 @@ def test_attach_link_fail_already_set(self):
         self.mock_session.xenapi.SR.add_to_sm_config.assert_called_with(
             TestShareFileSR.TEST_SR_REF, TestShareFileSR.NO_HARDLINKS, 'True')
 
+    def test_attach_success_no_session(self):
+        test_sr = self.create_sessionless_test_sr()
+
+        with mock.patch('FileSR.open'):
+            test_sr.attach(self.sr_uuid)
+
+        self.mock_session.xenapi.SR.remove_from_sm_config.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_attach_link_fail_no_session(self):
+        test_sr = self.create_sessionless_test_sr()
+        self.mock_link.side_effect = OSError(524, TestShareFileSR.ERROR_524)
+
+        with mock.patch('FileSR.open'):
+            test_sr.attach(self.sr_uuid)
+
+        self.mock_session.xenapi.SR.add_to_sm_config.assert_not_called()
+        self.mock_session.xenapi.message.create.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_attach_fist_active(self):
         """
         Attach SR with FIST point active to set no hardlinks