diff --git a/src/nm-config.h b/src/nm-config.h
index 47e929884c..17912185f7 100644
--- a/src/nm-config.h
+++ b/src/nm-config.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_GROUP_IFNET                       "ifnet"
 
 #define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_AUTH_POLKIT              "auth-polkit"
+#define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_AUTOCONNECT_RETRIES_DEFAULT "autoconnect-retries-default"
 #define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_DHCP                     "dhcp"
 #define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_DEBUG                    "debug"
 #define NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_HOSTNAME_MODE            "hostname-mode"
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
index 38e9ea3235..6bca549b66 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
@@ -2530,7 +2530,7 @@ _autoconnect_retries_initial (NMSettingsConnection *self)
 	if (retries == -1) {
 		retries = nm_config_data_get_value_int64 (NM_CONFIG_GET_DATA,
 		                                          NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_GROUP_MAIN,
-		                                          "autoconnect-retries-default",
+		                                          NM_CONFIG_KEYFILE_KEY_MAIN_AUTOCONNECT_RETRIES_DEFAULT,
 		                                          10, 0, G_MAXINT32,
 		                                          AUTOCONNECT_RETRIES_DEFAULT);
 	}