diff --git a/llarp/vpn/null.hpp b/llarp/vpn/null.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c247b99e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llarp/vpn/null.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <llarp/ev/vpn.hpp>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+namespace llarp::vpn
+{
+  class NullInterface : public NetworkInterface
+  {
+    /// we use a pipe because it isnt going to poll itself
+    int m_pipe[2];
+
+   public:
+    NullInterface()
+    {
+      ::pipe(m_pipe);
+    }
+
+    virtual ~NullInterface()
+    {
+      ::close(m_pipe[1]);
+      ::close(m_pipe[0]);
+    }
+
+    int
+    PollFD() const override
+    {
+      return m_pipe[0];
+    }
+
+    /// the interface's name
+    std::string
+    IfName() const override
+    {
+      return "";
+    }
+
+    net::IPPacket
+    ReadNextPacket() override
+    {
+      return net::IPPacket{};
+    }
+
+    /// write a packet to the interface
+    /// returns false if we dropped it
+    bool WritePacket(net::IPPacket) override
+    {
+      return true;
+    }
+  };
+
+  class NopRouteManager : public IRouteManager
+  {
+   public:
+    void AddRoute(IPVariant_t, IPVariant_t) override{};
+
+    void DelRoute(IPVariant_t, IPVariant_t) override{};
+
+    void AddDefaultRouteViaInterface(std::string) override{};
+
+    void DelDefaultRouteViaInterface(std::string) override{};
+
+    void
+    AddRouteViaInterface(NetworkInterface&, IPRange) override{};
+
+    void
+    DelRouteViaInterface(NetworkInterface&, IPRange) override{};
+
+    std::vector<IPVariant_t> GetGatewaysNotOnInterface(std::string) override
+    {
+      return {};
+    }
+  };
+
+  class NullPlatform : public Platform
+  {
+    NopRouteManager _routes;
+
+   public:
+    NullPlatform() : Platform{}, _routes{}
+    {}
+
+    virtual ~NullPlatform() = default;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<NetworkInterface>
+    ObtainInterface(InterfaceInfo, AbstractRouter*)
+    {
+      return std::static_pointer_cast<NetworkInterface>(std::make_shared<NullInterface>());
+    }
+
+    IRouteManager&
+    RouteManager() override
+    {
+      return _routes;
+    }
+  };
+}  // namespace llarp::vpn
diff --git a/llarp/vpn/platform.cpp b/llarp/vpn/platform.cpp
index 341e28fcba..b09586034b 100644
--- a/llarp/vpn/platform.cpp
+++ b/llarp/vpn/platform.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 
-#include <llarp/ev/vpn.hpp>
-
+#include <llarp/vpn/null.hpp>
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #include "win32.hpp"
 #endif
@@ -12,27 +11,20 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
-#include <exception>
-
 namespace llarp::vpn
 {
   std::shared_ptr<Platform>
   MakeNativePlatform(llarp::Context* ctx)
   {
     (void)ctx;
-    std::shared_ptr<Platform> plat;
-#ifdef _WIN32
-    plat = std::make_shared<vpn::Win32Platform>();
-#endif
-#ifdef __linux__
-#ifdef ANDROID
-    plat = std::make_shared<vpn::AndroidPlatform>(ctx);
-#else
-    plat = std::make_shared<vpn::LinuxPlatform>();
-#endif
-#endif
-#ifdef __APPLE__
-    throw std::runtime_error{"not supported"};
+    auto nullplat = std::make_shared<NullPlatform>();
+    std::shared_ptr<Platform> plat = nullplat;
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+    plat = std::make_shared<Win32Platform>();
+#elif defined(ANDROID)
+    plat = std::make_shared<AndroidPlatform>(ctx);
+#elif defined(__linux__)
+    plat = std::make_shared<LinuxPlatform>();
 #endif
     return plat;
   }