diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-ethernet.c b/src/devices/nm-device-ethernet.c
index 8b9ae1d8ba..bb71cf6222 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-ethernet.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-ethernet.c
@@ -667,16 +667,12 @@ handle_auth_or_fail (NMDeviceEthernet *self,
 	const char *setting_name;
 	NMConnection *applied_connection;
 	NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection;
-	int tries_left;
 
 	applied_connection = nm_act_request_get_applied_connection (req);
 	settings_connection = nm_act_request_get_settings_connection (req);
 
-	tries_left = nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_get (settings_connection);
-	if (tries_left == 0)
+	if (!nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_try_next (settings_connection))
 		return NM_ACT_STAGE_RETURN_FAILURE;
-	if (tries_left > 0)
-		nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_set (settings_connection, tries_left - 1);
 
 	nm_device_state_changed (NM_DEVICE (self), NM_DEVICE_STATE_NEED_AUTH, NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NONE);
 
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-macsec.c b/src/devices/nm-device-macsec.c
index e5df99bd39..bd081a9108 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-macsec.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-macsec.c
@@ -478,18 +478,14 @@ handle_auth_or_fail (NMDeviceMacsec *self,
                      gboolean new_secrets)
 {
 	const char *setting_name;
-	int tries_left;
 	NMConnection *applied_connection;
 	NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection;
 
 	applied_connection = nm_act_request_get_applied_connection (req);
 	settings_connection = nm_act_request_get_settings_connection (req);
 
-	tries_left = nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_get (settings_connection);
-	if (tries_left == 0)
+	if (!nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_try_next (settings_connection))
 		return NM_ACT_STAGE_RETURN_FAILURE;
-	if (tries_left > 0)
-		nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_set (settings_connection, tries_left - 1);
 
 	nm_device_state_changed (NM_DEVICE (self), NM_DEVICE_STATE_NEED_AUTH, NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NONE);
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
index a7b28792b2..4ed69e16a2 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
@@ -2599,6 +2599,19 @@ nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_reset (NMSettingsConnection *self)
 	nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_set (self, AUTOCONNECT_RETRIES_UNSET);
 }
 
+gboolean
+nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_try_next (NMSettingsConnection *self)
+{
+	int tries;
+
+	tries = nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_get (self);
+	if (tries == 0)
+		return FALSE;
+	if (tries > 0)
+		nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_set (self, tries - 1);
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 gint32
 nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_blocked_until_get (NMSettingsConnection *self)
 {
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
index a983bddd3d..69aa792305 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ int nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_get (NMSettingsConnection *self);
 void nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_set (NMSettingsConnection *self,
                                                      int retries);
 void nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_reset (NMSettingsConnection *self);
+gboolean nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_retries_try_next (NMSettingsConnection *self);
 
 gint32 nm_settings_connection_autoconnect_blocked_until_get (NMSettingsConnection *self);