diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
index b6e894049f..1a34207e79 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ nm_settings_connection_delete (NMSettingsConnection *self,
 	/* Remove connection from seen-bssids database file */
 	remove_entry_from_db (self, "seen-bssids");
 
-	nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (self, FALSE);
+	nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (self);
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -2187,15 +2187,24 @@ impl_settings_connection_clear_secrets (NMSettingsConnection *self,
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 void
-nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NMSettingsConnection *self, gboolean allow_reuse)
+nm_settings_connection_added (NMSettingsConnection *self)
 {
 	NMSettingsConnectionPrivate *priv = NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 
-	if (!allow_reuse) {
-		if (priv->removed)
-			g_return_if_reached ();
-		priv->removed = TRUE;
-	}
+	/* FIXME: we should always dispose connections that are removed
+	 * and not reuse them, but currently plugins keep alive unmanaged
+	 * (e.g. NM_CONTROLLED=no) connections. */
+	priv->removed = FALSE;
+}
+
+void
+nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NMSettingsConnection *self)
+{
+	NMSettingsConnectionPrivate *priv = NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+
+	if (priv->removed)
+		return;
+	priv->removed = TRUE;
 	g_signal_emit_by_name (self, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_REMOVED);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
index fc8ad1de1a..899c48dab4 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
@@ -190,7 +190,9 @@ void nm_settings_connection_recheck_visibility (NMSettingsConnection *self);
 gboolean nm_settings_connection_check_permission (NMSettingsConnection *self,
                                                   const char *permission);
 
-void nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NMSettingsConnection *self, gboolean allow_reuse);
+void nm_settings_connection_added (NMSettingsConnection *self);
+
+void nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NMSettingsConnection *self);
 
 gboolean nm_settings_connection_get_unsaved (NMSettingsConnection *self);
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings.c b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
index 21fdf9e067..d54305c137 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
@@ -1004,6 +1004,8 @@ claim_connection (NMSettings *self, NMSettingsConnection *connection)
 		/* Exported D-Bus signal */
 		g_signal_emit (self, signals[NEW_CONNECTION], 0, connection);
 	}
+
+	nm_settings_connection_added (connection);
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
index 04e74bbda6..8d222d31c2 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-plugin.c
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ remove_connection (SettingsPluginIfcfg *self, NMIfcfgConnection *connection)
 	g_object_ref (connection);
 	g_hash_table_remove (priv->connections, nm_connection_get_uuid (NM_CONNECTION (connection)));
 	if (!unmanaged && !unrecognized)
-		nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection), FALSE);
+		nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection));
 	g_object_unref (connection);
 
 	/* Emit changes _after_ removing the connection */
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ update_connection (SettingsPluginIfcfg *self,
 					/* Unexport the connection by telling the settings service it's
 					 * been removed.
 					 */
-					nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection_by_uuid), TRUE);
+					nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection_by_uuid));
 					/* Remove the path so that claim_connection() doesn't complain later when
 					 * interface gets managed and connection is re-added. */
 					nm_connection_set_path (NM_CONNECTION (connection_by_uuid), NULL);
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifnet/nms-ifnet-plugin.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifnet/nms-ifnet-plugin.c
index 38d23f306b..6fc7981cbc 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifnet/nms-ifnet-plugin.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifnet/nms-ifnet-plugin.c
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ reload_connections (NMSettingsPlugin *config)
 				                              NM_SETTING_COMPARE_FLAG_IGNORE_NOT_SAVED_SECRETS)) {
 					nm_log_info (LOGD_SETTINGS, "Auto refreshing %s", conn_name);
 
-					nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (old), FALSE);
+					nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (old));
 					track_new_connection (self, new);
 					if (is_managed_plugin () && is_managed (conn_name))
 						g_signal_emit_by_name (self, NM_SETTINGS_PLUGIN_CONNECTION_ADDED, new);
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ reload_connections (NMSettingsPlugin *config)
 		 */
 		if (   nm_ifnet_connection_get_conn_name (NM_IFNET_CONNECTION (candidate))
 		    && !g_hash_table_lookup (new_connections, uuid)) {
-			nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (candidate, FALSE);
+			nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (candidate);
 			g_hash_table_iter_remove (&iter);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c b/src/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
index bc64b3ca49..19ebbea8fc 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ remove_connection (NMSKeyfilePlugin *self, NMSKeyfileConnection *connection)
 	g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (connection, connection_removed_cb, self);
 	removed = g_hash_table_remove (NMS_KEYFILE_PLUGIN_GET_PRIVATE (self)->connections,
 	                               nm_connection_get_uuid (NM_CONNECTION (connection)));
-	nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection), FALSE);
+	nm_settings_connection_signal_remove (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection));
 	g_object_unref (connection);
 
 	g_return_if_fail (removed);