diff --git a/py-polars/polars/dataframe/frame.py b/py-polars/polars/dataframe/frame.py
index e89e4169c3343..6d16ba2ec8caa 100644
--- a/py-polars/polars/dataframe/frame.py
+++ b/py-polars/polars/dataframe/frame.py
@@ -3350,6 +3350,9 @@ def write_ipc(
 
         if isinstance(future, Flavor):
             future = future.value  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        elif future is None:
+            # this is for backward compatibility
+            future = True  # type: ignore[assignment]
 
         if compression is None:
             compression = "uncompressed"
@@ -3419,6 +3422,9 @@ def write_ipc_stream(
 
         if isinstance(future, Flavor):
             future = future.value  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        elif future is None:
+            # this is for backward compatibility
+            future = True  # type: ignore[assignment]
 
         if compression is None:
             compression = "uncompressed"