diff --git a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/DeviceDriverImpl.cpp b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/DeviceDriverImpl.cpp
index fa7861f9c..b68a6e4c8 100644
--- a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/DeviceDriverImpl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/DeviceDriverImpl.cpp
@@ -180,6 +180,16 @@ bool CanBusBroker::open(yarp::os::Searchable & config)
                 iCanBusSharer->registerSender(broker->getWriter()->getDelegate());
             }
         }
+        else
+        {
+            auto * broker = new FakeBusBroker();
+            brokers.push_back(broker);
+
+            for (auto * iCanBusSharer : busSharers)
+            {
+                iCanBusSharer->registerSender(broker->getDelegate());
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     for (auto * broker : brokers)
diff --git a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.cpp b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.cpp
index 84701747e..09b1044cf 100644
--- a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.cpp
+++ b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "CanUtils.hpp"
 #include "LogComponent.hpp"
+#include "YarpCanSenderDelegate.hpp"
 
 using namespace roboticslab;
 
@@ -323,3 +324,16 @@ void SingleBusBroker::onRead(yarp::os::Bottle & b)
 }
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+FakeBusBroker::FakeBusBroker()
+    : sender(new FakeCanSenderDelegate())
+{ }
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+FakeBusBroker::~FakeBusBroker()
+{
+    delete sender;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.hpp b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.hpp
index 1786d797d..ecc39a223 100644
--- a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.hpp
+++ b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/SingleBusBroker.hpp
@@ -101,6 +101,28 @@ class SingleBusBroker final : public yarp::os::TypedReaderCallback<yarp::os::Bot
     BusLoadMonitor * busLoadMonitor;
 };
 
+/**
+ * @ingroup CanBusBroker
+ * @brief Fake message broker of a CAN bus.
+ *
+ * This class is used to instantiate a CAN bus broker without a real CAN bus.
+ */
+class FakeBusBroker final
+{
+public:
+    //! Constructor.
+    FakeBusBroker();
+
+    //! Destructor.
+    ~FakeBusBroker();
+
+    //! Retrieve a handle to the fake CAN sender delegate.
+    ICanSenderDelegate * getDelegate();
+
+private:
+    ICanSenderDelegate * sender;
+};
+
 } // namespace roboticslab
 
 #endif // __SINGLE_BUS_BROKER_HPP__
diff --git a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/YarpCanSenderDelegate.hpp b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/YarpCanSenderDelegate.hpp
index 026cf02e7..37c62a4a5 100644
--- a/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/YarpCanSenderDelegate.hpp
+++ b/libraries/YarpPlugins/CanBusBroker/YarpCanSenderDelegate.hpp
@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ class YarpCanSenderDelegate : public ICanSenderDelegate
     std::unordered_map<unsigned int, bool> nodeAvailability;
 };
 
+/**
+ * @ingroup CanBusBroker
+ * @brief A sender delegate that does nothing.
+ */
+class FakeCanSenderDelegate : public ICanSenderDelegate
+{
+public:
+    bool prepareMessage(const can_message & msg) override
+    { return true; }
+
+    void reportAvailability(bool available, unsigned int id) override
+    { }
+};
+
 } // namespace roboticslab
 
 #endif // __YARP_CAN_SENDER_DELEGATE_HPP__