diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 71b5ef0470..51b0c6f518 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ enum {
 	REMOVED,
 	RECHECK_AUTO_ACTIVATE,
 	RECHECK_ASSUME,
-	LINK_INITIALIZED,
 	LAST_SIGNAL,
 };
 static guint signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
@@ -1589,9 +1588,6 @@ device_link_changed (NMDevice *self)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (just_initialized)
-		g_signal_emit (self, signals[LINK_INITIALIZED], 0);
-
 	device_recheck_slave_status (self, &info);
 	return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
 }
@@ -10897,13 +10893,6 @@ nm_device_class_init (NMDeviceClass *klass)
 		              0, NULL, NULL, NULL,
 		              G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
-	signals[LINK_INITIALIZED] =
-		g_signal_new (NM_DEVICE_LINK_INITIALIZED,
-		              G_OBJECT_CLASS_TYPE (object_class),
-		              G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
-		              0, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-		              G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
-
 	nm_exported_object_class_add_interface (NM_EXPORTED_OBJECT_CLASS (klass),
 	                                        NMDBUS_TYPE_DEVICE_SKELETON,
 	                                        "Disconnect", impl_device_disconnect,
diff --git a/src/nm-manager.c b/src/nm-manager.c
index 623338a5b2..750c58b310 100644
--- a/src/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-manager.c
@@ -721,6 +721,7 @@ manager_device_state_changed (NMDevice *device,
                               gpointer user_data)
 {
 	NMManager *self = NM_MANAGER (user_data);
+	NMManagerPrivate *priv = NM_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 
 	switch (new_state) {
 	case NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNMANAGED:
@@ -733,6 +734,10 @@ manager_device_state_changed (NMDevice *device,
 	default:
 		break;
 	}
+
+	if (   new_state == NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNAVAILABLE
+	    || new_state == NM_DEVICE_STATE_DISCONNECTED)
+		nm_settings_device_added (priv->settings, device);
 }
 
 static void device_has_pending_action_changed (NMDevice *device,
@@ -859,14 +864,6 @@ device_removed_cb (NMDevice *device, gpointer user_data)
 	remove_device (NM_MANAGER (user_data), device, FALSE, TRUE);
 }
 
-static void
-device_link_initialized_cb (NMDevice *device, gpointer user_data)
-{
-	NMManagerPrivate *priv = NM_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (user_data);
-
-	nm_settings_device_added (priv->settings, device);
-}
-
 NMState
 nm_manager_get_state (NMManager *manager)
 {
@@ -1830,10 +1827,6 @@ add_device (NMManager *self, NMDevice *device, GError **error)
 	                  G_CALLBACK (device_removed_cb),
 	                  self);
 
-	g_signal_connect (device, NM_DEVICE_LINK_INITIALIZED,
-	                  G_CALLBACK (device_link_initialized_cb),
-	                  self);
-
 	g_signal_connect (device, NM_DEVICE_RECHECK_ASSUME,
 	                  G_CALLBACK (recheck_assume_connection_cb),
 	                  self);