diff --git a/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifdown b/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifdown
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e7bd73aec3..3b05ef1c66
--- a/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifdown
+++ b/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifdown
@@ -1,3 +1,44 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-nmcli connection load "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$1" &&
-exec nmcli connection down filename "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$1"
+#!/bin/bash
+
+CONFIG="$1"
+
+if [ -z "${CONFIG}" ] ; then
+    echo $"Usage: ifdown <device name>" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+usage_and_fail() {
+    cat <<EOF >&2
+$1!
+
+See all profiles with \`nmcli connection\`.
+Reload files from disk with \`nmcli connection reload\`
+Deactivate the desired profile with \`nmcli connection down \"\$NAME\"\`
+EOF
+    exit 1
+}
+
+OLD_IFS="$IFS"
+
+re='^/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-[^/]+$'
+for f in "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$CONFIG" "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/$CONFIG" ; do
+    [[ "$f" =~ $re ]] || continue
+    [ -f "$f" ] || continue
+
+    nmcli connection load "$f" \
+    && nmcli connection down filename "$f" \
+    && exit 0
+
+    usage_and_fail "Failure to deactivate file \"$CONFIG\""
+done
+
+IFS=$'\n '
+APATHS=( $(nmcli -g GENERAL.DBUS-PATH connection show --active "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null) )
+IFS="$OLD_IFS"
+if [ "${#APATHS[@]}" -eq 1 ] ; then
+    nmcli connection down apath "${APATHS[0]}" \
+    && exit 0
+    usage_and_fail "Failure to deactivate profile \"$CONFIG\" (apath ${APATHS[@]})"
+fi
+
+usage_and_fail "No suitable profile \"$CONFIG\" found"
diff --git a/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifup b/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifup
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 96637a92fb..6b32fe1bf6
--- a/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifup
+++ b/src/core/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifup
@@ -1,3 +1,44 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-nmcli connection load "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$1" &&
-exec nmcli connection up filename "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$1"
+#!/bin/bash
+
+CONFIG="$1"
+
+if [ -z "${CONFIG}" ] ; then
+    echo $"Usage: ifup <device name>" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+usage_and_fail() {
+    cat <<EOF >&2
+$1!
+
+See all profiles with \`nmcli connection\`.
+Reload files from disk with \`nmcli connection reload\`
+Activate the desired profile with \`nmcli connection up \"\$NAME\"\`
+EOF
+    exit 1
+}
+
+OLD_IFS="$IFS"
+
+re='^/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-[^/]+$'
+for f in "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$CONFIG" "/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/$CONFIG" ; do
+    [[ "$f" =~ $re ]] || continue
+    [ -f "$f" ] || continue
+
+    nmcli connection load "$f" \
+    && nmcli connection up filename "$f" \
+    && exit 0
+
+    usage_and_fail "Failure to activate file \"$CONFIG\""
+done
+
+IFS=$'\n '
+UUIDS=( $(nmcli -g connection.uuid connection show "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null) )
+IFS="$OLD_IFS"
+if [ "${#UUIDS[@]}" -eq 1 ] ; then
+    nmcli connection up uuid "${UUIDS[0]}" \
+    && exit 0
+    usage_and_fail "Failure to activate profile \"$CONFIG\" (uuid ${UUIDS[0]})"
+fi
+
+usage_and_fail "No suitable profile \"$CONFIG\" found"