diff --git a/scr/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/scr/impl/AbstractComponentManager.java b/scr/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/scr/impl/AbstractComponentManager.java
index 88873b1..87572e0 100644
--- a/scr/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/scr/impl/AbstractComponentManager.java
+++ b/scr/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/scr/impl/AbstractComponentManager.java
@@ -650,8 +650,7 @@
             DependencyManager dm = ( DependencyManager ) it.next();
             if ( name.equals( dm.getName() ) )
             {
-                // only return the dm if it has service references
-                return ( dm.size() > 0 ) ? dm : null;
+                return dm;
             }
         }