diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 05e310d8db..61878da2df 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -4193,6 +4193,12 @@ nm_device_create_and_realize (NMDevice *self,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+can_update_from_platform_link (NMDevice *self, const NMPlatformLink *plink)
+{
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 void
 nm_device_update_from_platform_link (NMDevice *self, const NMPlatformLink *plink)
 {
@@ -4201,6 +4207,9 @@ nm_device_update_from_platform_link (NMDevice *self, const NMPlatformLink *plink
 	int ifindex;
 	guint32 mtu;
 
+	if (!NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->can_update_from_platform_link (self, plink))
+		return;
+
 	g_return_if_fail (plink == NULL || link_type_compatible (self, plink->type, NULL, NULL));
 
 	str = plink ? nm_platform_link_get_udi (nm_device_get_platform (self), plink->ifindex) : NULL;
@@ -17238,6 +17247,7 @@ nm_device_class_init (NMDeviceClass *klass)
 
 	klass->get_type_description = get_type_description;
 	klass->can_auto_connect = can_auto_connect;
+	klass->can_update_from_platform_link = can_update_from_platform_link;
 	klass->check_connection_compatible = check_connection_compatible;
 	klass->check_connection_available = check_connection_available;
 	klass->can_unmanaged_external_down = can_unmanaged_external_down;
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.h b/src/devices/nm-device.h
index 412a57a0af..b8b1e400a7 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -472,6 +472,8 @@ typedef struct _NMDeviceClass {
 	guint32         (* get_dhcp_timeout) (NMDevice *self,
 	                                      int addr_family);
 
+	gboolean        (* can_update_from_platform_link) (NMDevice *self, const NMPlatformLink *plink);
+
 	/* Controls, whether to call act_stage2_config() callback also for assuming
 	 * a device or for external activations. In this case, act_stage2_config() must
 	 * take care not to touch the device's configuration. */
diff --git a/src/devices/ovs/nm-device-ovs-interface.c b/src/devices/ovs/nm-device-ovs-interface.c
index a8a66bb361..9e6ac94750 100644
--- a/src/devices/ovs/nm-device-ovs-interface.c
+++ b/src/devices/ovs/nm-device-ovs-interface.c
@@ -313,6 +313,18 @@ deactivate_async (NMDevice *device,
 	                                          data);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+can_update_from_platform_link (NMDevice *device, const NMPlatformLink *plink)
+{
+	/* If the device is deactivating, we already sent the
+	 * deletion command to ovsdb and we don't want to deal
+	 * with any new link appearing from the previous
+	 * activation.
+	 */
+	return    !plink
+	       || nm_device_get_state (device) != NM_DEVICE_STATE_DEACTIVATING;
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 static void
@@ -342,6 +354,7 @@ nm_device_ovs_interface_class_init (NMDeviceOvsInterfaceClass *klass)
 	device_class->connection_type_check_compatible = NM_SETTING_OVS_INTERFACE_SETTING_NAME;
 	device_class->link_types = NM_DEVICE_DEFINE_LINK_TYPES (NM_LINK_TYPE_OPENVSWITCH);
 
+	device_class->can_update_from_platform_link = can_update_from_platform_link;
 	device_class->deactivate = deactivate;
 	device_class->deactivate_async = deactivate_async;
 	device_class->get_type_description = get_type_description;