diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
index d4e3cf704f..ae6f48356e 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ typedef struct {
 
 	gulong devtimeout_link_changed_handler;
 	guint devtimeout_timeout_id;
+
+	NMInotifyHelper *inotify_helper;
 } NMIfcfgConnectionPrivate;
 
 enum {
@@ -85,6 +87,14 @@ enum {
 
 static guint signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 
+static NMInotifyHelper *
+_get_inotify_helper (NMIfcfgConnectionPrivate *priv)
+{
+	if (!priv->inotify_helper)
+		priv->inotify_helper = g_object_ref (nm_inotify_helper_get ());
+	return priv->inotify_helper;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 devtimeout_ready (gpointer user_data)
 {
@@ -265,7 +275,7 @@ path_watch_stop (NMIfcfgConnection *self)
 	NMIfcfgConnectionPrivate *priv = NM_IFCFG_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 	NMInotifyHelper *ih;
 
-	ih = nm_inotify_helper_get ();
+	ih = _get_inotify_helper (priv);
 
 	if (priv->ih_event_id) {
 		g_signal_handler_disconnect (ih, priv->ih_event_id);
@@ -319,7 +329,9 @@ filename_changed (GObject *object,
 	priv->route6file = utils_get_route6_path (ifcfg_path);
 
 	if (nm_config_get_monitor_connection_files (nm_config_get ())) {
-		NMInotifyHelper *ih = nm_inotify_helper_get ();
+		NMInotifyHelper *ih;
+
+		ih = _get_inotify_helper (priv);
 
 		priv->ih_event_id = g_signal_connect (ih, "event", G_CALLBACK (files_changed_cb), self);
 		priv->file_wd = nm_inotify_helper_add_watch (ih, ifcfg_path);
@@ -514,6 +526,8 @@ dispose (GObject *object)
 		priv->devtimeout_timeout_id = 0;
 	}
 
+	g_clear_object (&priv->inotify_helper);
+
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_ifcfg_connection_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }