diff --git a/canopen/network.py b/canopen/network.py
index 967d804a..dd2a9bcf 100644
--- a/canopen/network.py
+++ b/canopen/network.py
@@ -279,6 +279,13 @@ def __len__(self) -> int:
         return len(self.nodes)
 
 
+class _DummyNetwork(Network):
+    """Empty network implementation as a placeholder before actual initialization."""
+
+    def __init__(self, bus: Optional[can.BusABC] = None):
+        """Do not initialize attributes, by skipping the parent constructor."""
+
+
 class PeriodicMessageTask:
     """
     Task object to transmit a message periodically using python-can's
diff --git a/canopen/nmt.py b/canopen/nmt.py
index 8ce737ea..4ec7dcca 100644
--- a/canopen/nmt.py
+++ b/canopen/nmt.py
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 import logging
 import struct
 import time
-from typing import Callable, Optional
+from typing import Callable, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
+
+from canopen.network import _DummyNetwork
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from canopen.network import Network
+
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -45,7 +51,7 @@ class NmtBase:
 
     def __init__(self, node_id: int):
         self.id = node_id
-        self.network = None
+        self.network: Network = _DummyNetwork()
         self._state = 0
 
     def on_command(self, can_id, data, timestamp):