diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-gre.c b/src/devices/nm-device-gre.c
index 3e5fdd1bea..0412e99312 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-gre.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-gre.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (NMDeviceGre, nm_device_gre, NM_TYPE_DEVICE_GENERIC)
 #define NM_DEVICE_GRE_GET_PRIVATE(o) (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_PRIVATE ((o), NM_TYPE_DEVICE_GRE, NMDeviceGrePrivate))
 
 typedef struct {
-	NMDevice *parent;
 	NMPlatformGreProperties props;
 } NMDeviceGrePrivate;
 
@@ -73,15 +72,8 @@ update_properties (NMDevice *device)
 
 	g_object_freeze_notify (object);
 
-	if (priv->props.parent_ifindex != props.parent_ifindex) {
+	if (priv->props.parent_ifindex != props.parent_ifindex)
 		g_object_notify (object, NM_DEVICE_GRE_PARENT);
-		if (priv->parent)
-			g_object_remove_weak_pointer (G_OBJECT (priv->parent), (gpointer *) &priv->parent);
-		priv->parent = nm_manager_get_device_by_ifindex (nm_manager_get (), props.parent_ifindex);
-		if (priv->parent)
-			g_object_add_weak_pointer (G_OBJECT (priv->parent), (gpointer *) &priv->parent);
-	}
-
 	if (priv->props.input_flags != props.input_flags)
 		g_object_notify (object, NM_DEVICE_GRE_INPUT_FLAGS);
 	if (priv->props.output_flags != props.output_flags)
@@ -146,10 +138,12 @@ get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 {
 	NMDeviceGrePrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_GRE_GET_PRIVATE (object);
 	char buf[INET_ADDRSTRLEN];
+	NMDevice *parent;
 
 	switch (prop_id) {
 	case PROP_PARENT:
-		g_value_set_boxed (value, priv->parent ? nm_device_get_path (priv->parent) : "/");
+		parent = nm_manager_get_device_by_ifindex (nm_manager_get (), priv->props.parent_ifindex);
+		g_value_set_boxed (value, parent ? nm_device_get_path (parent) : "/");
 		break;
 	case PROP_INPUT_FLAGS:
 		g_value_set_uint (value, priv->props.input_flags);
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c b/src/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
index fa71c35583..22848fe78b 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (NMDeviceMacvlan, nm_device_macvlan, NM_TYPE_DEVICE_GENERIC)
 #define NM_DEVICE_MACVLAN_GET_PRIVATE(o) (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_PRIVATE ((o), NM_TYPE_DEVICE_MACVLAN, NMDeviceMacvlanPrivate))
 
 typedef struct {
-	NMDevice *parent;
 	NMPlatformMacvlanProperties props;
 } NMDeviceMacvlanPrivate;
 
@@ -68,14 +67,8 @@ update_properties (NMDevice *device)
 
 	g_object_freeze_notify (object);
 
-	if (priv->props.parent_ifindex != props.parent_ifindex) {
+	if (priv->props.parent_ifindex != props.parent_ifindex)
 		g_object_notify (object, NM_DEVICE_MACVLAN_PARENT);
-		if (priv->parent)
-			g_object_remove_weak_pointer (G_OBJECT (priv->parent), (gpointer *) &priv->parent);
-		priv->parent = nm_manager_get_device_by_ifindex (nm_manager_get (), props.parent_ifindex);
-		if (priv->parent)
-			g_object_add_weak_pointer (G_OBJECT (priv->parent), (gpointer *) &priv->parent);
-	}
 	if (g_strcmp0 (priv->props.mode, props.mode) != 0)
 		g_object_notify (object, NM_DEVICE_MACVLAN_MODE);
 	if (priv->props.no_promisc != props.no_promisc)
@@ -125,10 +118,12 @@ get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
               GValue *value, GParamSpec *pspec)
 {
 	NMDeviceMacvlanPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_MACVLAN_GET_PRIVATE (object);
+	NMDevice *parent;
 
 	switch (prop_id) {
 	case PROP_PARENT:
-		g_value_set_boxed (value, priv->parent ? nm_device_get_path (priv->parent) : "/");
+		parent = nm_manager_get_device_by_ifindex (nm_manager_get (), priv->props.parent_ifindex);
+		g_value_set_boxed (value, parent ? nm_device_get_path (parent) : "/");
 		break;
 	case PROP_MODE:
 		g_value_set_string (value, priv->props.mode);
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-veth.c b/src/devices/nm-device-veth.c
index fdc44565e3..523016e1e8 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-veth.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-veth.c
@@ -113,6 +113,20 @@ nm_device_veth_init (NMDeviceVeth *self)
 {
 }
 
+static void
+dispose (GObject *object)
+{
+	NMDeviceVeth *self = NM_DEVICE_VETH (object);
+	NMDeviceVethPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_VETH_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+
+	if (priv->peer) {
+		g_object_remove_weak_pointer (G_OBJECT (priv->peer), (gpointer *) &priv->peer);
+		priv->peer = NULL;
+	}
+
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_device_veth_parent_class)->dispose (object);
+}
+
 static void
 get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
               GValue *value, GParamSpec *pspec)
@@ -139,6 +153,7 @@ nm_device_veth_class_init (NMDeviceVethClass *klass)
 	g_type_class_add_private (klass, sizeof (NMDeviceVethPrivate));
 
 	object_class->get_property = get_property;
+	object_class->dispose = dispose;
 
 	/* properties */
 	g_object_class_install_property