diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 68785b2786..dbc01764ef 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ with the later release.
 USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.  NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION USE!
 
 * Added support for IEEE 802.15.4 and 6LowPAN devices.
+* Support activating profile multiple times via connection.multi-connect
+  setting.
 
 The following changes were backported to 1.12.x releases between 1.12.0
 and 1.12.2 are also present in NetworkManager-1.14:
diff --git a/src/nm-manager.c b/src/nm-manager.c
index 44dccca01b..6229a8857e 100644
--- a/src/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-manager.c
@@ -2485,6 +2485,7 @@ get_existing_connection (NMManager *self,
 	 */
 	if (   assume_state_connection_uuid
 	    && (connection_checked = nm_settings_get_connection_by_uuid (priv->settings, assume_state_connection_uuid))
+	    /*XXX: consider connection multi_connect. */
 	    && !active_connection_find (self, connection_checked, NULL,
 	                                NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_ACTIVATED,
 	                                NULL)
@@ -4116,6 +4117,7 @@ _internal_activate_device (NMManager *self, NMActiveConnection *active, GError *
 	NMActiveConnection *master_ac = NULL;
 	NMAuthSubject *subject;
 	GError *local = NULL;
+	NMConnectionMultiConnect multi_connect;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_MANAGER (self), FALSE);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION (active), FALSE);
@@ -4276,7 +4278,15 @@ _internal_activate_device (NMManager *self, NMActiveConnection *active, GError *
 	/* Check slaves for master connection and possibly activate them */
 	autoconnect_slaves (self, connection, device, nm_active_connection_get_subject (active));
 
-	{
+	multi_connect = _nm_connection_get_multi_connect (NM_CONNECTION (connection));
+	if (   multi_connect == NM_CONNECTION_MULTI_CONNECT_MULTIPLE
+	    || (   multi_connect == NM_CONNECTION_MULTI_CONNECT_MANUAL_MULTIPLE
+	        && NM_IN_SET (nm_active_connection_get_activation_reason (active),
+	                      NM_ACTIVATION_REASON_ASSUME,
+	                      NM_ACTIVATION_REASON_AUTOCONNECT_SLAVES,
+	                      NM_ACTIVATION_REASON_USER_REQUEST))) {
+		/* the profile can be activated multiple times. Proceed. */
+	} else {
 		gs_unref_ptrarray GPtrArray *all_ac_arr = NULL;
 		NMActiveConnection *ac;
 		guint i, n_all;
diff --git a/src/nm-policy.c b/src/nm-policy.c
index 86bfba7afc..0dc4d80e22 100644
--- a/src/nm-policy.c
+++ b/src/nm-policy.c
@@ -1235,7 +1235,7 @@ auto_activate_device (NMPolicy *self,
 	if (!nm_device_autoconnect_allowed (device))
 		return;
 
-	connections = nm_manager_get_activatable_connections (priv->manager, FALSE, TRUE, &len);
+	connections = nm_manager_get_activatable_connections (priv->manager, TRUE, TRUE, &len);
 	if (!connections[0])
 		return;