diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index f8c2adfd19..f1643ea772 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -12446,7 +12446,7 @@ _cleanup_generic_post (NMDevice *self, CleanupType cleanup_type)
 	nm_assert (priv->needs_ip6_subnet == FALSE);
 
 	if (priv->act_request) {
-		nm_active_connection_set_default (NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (priv->act_request), FALSE);
+		nm_active_connection_set_default (NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (priv->act_request), AF_INET, FALSE);
 
 		priv->master_ready_handled = FALSE;
 		nm_clear_g_signal_handler (priv->act_request, &priv->master_ready_id);
diff --git a/src/nm-act-request.c b/src/nm-act-request.c
index 29bb3a05bb..164f44d2cf 100644
--- a/src/nm-act-request.c
+++ b/src/nm-act-request.c
@@ -454,10 +454,8 @@ device_state_changed (NMActiveConnection *active,
 	}
 
 	if (   ac_state == NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_DEACTIVATED
-	    || ac_state == NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_UNKNOWN) {
-		nm_active_connection_set_default (active, FALSE);
-		nm_active_connection_set_default6 (active, FALSE);
-	}
+	    || ac_state == NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_UNKNOWN)
+		nm_active_connection_set_default (active, AF_UNSPEC, FALSE);
 
 	nm_active_connection_set_state (active, ac_state, ac_state_reason);
 }
diff --git a/src/nm-active-connection.c b/src/nm-active-connection.c
index 8efb7a3fa3..c27f6548eb 100644
--- a/src/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -494,53 +494,46 @@ nm_active_connection_set_specific_object (NMActiveConnection *self,
 }
 
 void
-nm_active_connection_set_default (NMActiveConnection *self, gboolean is_default)
+nm_active_connection_set_default (NMActiveConnection *self,
+                                  int addr_family,
+                                  gboolean is_default)
 {
 	NMActiveConnectionPrivate *priv;
 
 	g_return_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (self));
+	nm_assert (NM_IN_SET (addr_family, AF_UNSPEC, AF_INET, AF_INET6));
 
 	is_default = !!is_default;
 
 	priv = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
-	if (priv->is_default == is_default)
-		return;
-
-	priv->is_default = is_default;
-	_notify (self, PROP_DEFAULT);
+	if (NM_IN_SET (addr_family, AF_UNSPEC, AF_INET)) {
+		if (priv->is_default != is_default) {
+			priv->is_default = is_default;
+			_notify (self, PROP_DEFAULT);
+		}
+	}
+	if (NM_IN_SET (addr_family, AF_UNSPEC, AF_INET6)) {
+		if (priv->is_default6 != is_default) {
+			priv->is_default6 = is_default;
+			_notify (self, PROP_DEFAULT6);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 gboolean
-nm_active_connection_get_default (NMActiveConnection *self)
-{
-	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (self), FALSE);
-
-	return NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self)->is_default;
-}
-
-void
-nm_active_connection_set_default6 (NMActiveConnection *self, gboolean is_default6)
+nm_active_connection_get_default (NMActiveConnection *self, int addr_family)
 {
 	NMActiveConnectionPrivate *priv;
 
-	g_return_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (self));
-
-	is_default6 = !!is_default6;
+	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (self), FALSE);
+	nm_assert (NM_IN_SET (addr_family, AF_UNSPEC, AF_INET, AF_INET6));
 
 	priv = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
-	if (priv->is_default6 == is_default6)
-		return;
-
-	priv->is_default6 = is_default6;
-	_notify (self, PROP_DEFAULT6);
-}
-
-gboolean
-nm_active_connection_get_default6 (NMActiveConnection *self)
-{
-	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (self), FALSE);
-
-	return NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self)->is_default6;
+	switch (addr_family) {
+	case AF_INET:   return priv->is_default;
+	case AF_INET6:  return priv->is_default6;
+	default:        return priv->is_default || priv->is_default6;
+	}
 }
 
 NMAuthSubject *
@@ -1263,10 +1256,10 @@ set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 			priv->specific_object = g_strdup (tmp);
 		break;
 	case PROP_DEFAULT:
-		priv->is_default = !!g_value_get_boolean (value);
+		priv->is_default = g_value_get_boolean (value);
 		break;
 	case PROP_DEFAULT6:
-		priv->is_default6 = !!g_value_get_boolean (value);
+		priv->is_default6 = g_value_get_boolean (value);
 		break;
 	case PROP_VPN:
 		priv->vpn = g_value_get_boolean (value);
diff --git a/src/nm-active-connection.h b/src/nm-active-connection.h
index a4f6c12464..5ede2b04ff 100644
--- a/src/nm-active-connection.h
+++ b/src/nm-active-connection.h
@@ -137,14 +137,10 @@ void          nm_active_connection_set_specific_object (NMActiveConnection *self
                                                         const char *specific_object);
 
 void          nm_active_connection_set_default (NMActiveConnection *self,
+                                                int addr_family,
                                                 gboolean is_default);
 
-gboolean      nm_active_connection_get_default (NMActiveConnection *self);
-
-void          nm_active_connection_set_default6 (NMActiveConnection *self,
-                                                 gboolean is_default6);
-
-gboolean      nm_active_connection_get_default6 (NMActiveConnection *self);
+gboolean      nm_active_connection_get_default (NMActiveConnection *self, int addr_family);
 
 NMActiveConnectionState nm_active_connection_get_state (NMActiveConnection *self);
 
diff --git a/src/nm-manager.c b/src/nm-manager.c
index 4766e3c8e3..d4d4ba610c 100644
--- a/src/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-manager.c
@@ -814,8 +814,7 @@ find_best_device_state (NMManager *manager)
 
 		switch (ac_state) {
 		case NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_ACTIVATED:
-			if (   nm_active_connection_get_default (ac)
-			    || nm_active_connection_get_default6 (ac)) {
+			if (nm_active_connection_get_default (ac, AF_UNSPEC)) {
 				if (priv->connectivity_state == NM_CONNECTIVITY_FULL)
 					return NM_STATE_CONNECTED_GLOBAL;
 
diff --git a/src/nm-policy.c b/src/nm-policy.c
index c65e6d3a4a..71415c4ffa 100644
--- a/src/nm-policy.c
+++ b/src/nm-policy.c
@@ -819,8 +819,8 @@ update_system_hostname (NMPolicy *self, const char *msg)
 
 static void
 update_default_ac (NMPolicy *self,
-                   NMActiveConnection *best,
-                   void (*set_active_func)(NMActiveConnection*, gboolean))
+                   int addr_family,
+                   NMActiveConnection *best)
 {
 	NMPolicyPrivate *priv = NM_POLICY_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 	const CList *tmp_list;
@@ -832,12 +832,12 @@ update_default_ac (NMPolicy *self,
 	 */
 	nm_manager_for_each_active_connection (priv->manager, ac, tmp_list) {
 		if (ac != best)
-			set_active_func (ac, FALSE);
+			nm_active_connection_set_default (ac, addr_family, FALSE);
 	}
 
 	/* Mark new default active connection */
 	if (best)
-		set_active_func (best, TRUE);
+		nm_active_connection_set_default (best, addr_family, TRUE);
 }
 
 static gpointer
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ update_ip4_routing (NMPolicy *self, gboolean force_update)
 	if (vpn)
 		best = nm_active_connection_get_device (NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (vpn));
 
-	update_default_ac (self, best_ac, nm_active_connection_set_default);
+	update_default_ac (self, AF_INET, best_ac);
 
 	if (!nm_g_object_ref_set (&priv->default_device4, best))
 		return;
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ update_ip6_routing (NMPolicy *self, gboolean force_update)
 	if (vpn)
 		best = nm_active_connection_get_device (NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (vpn));
 
-	update_default_ac (self, best_ac, nm_active_connection_set_default6);
+	update_default_ac (self, AF_INET6, best_ac);
 
 	if (!nm_g_object_ref_set (&priv->default_device6, best))
 		return;