diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index a77c2482ca..e13ae9acc3 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -4252,18 +4252,10 @@ set_connection_type (NmCli *nmc, NMConnection *con, const OptionInfo *option, co
 static gboolean
 set_connection_iface (NmCli *nmc, NMConnection *con, const OptionInfo *option, const char *value, GError **error)
 {
-	GError *tmp_error = NULL;
-
 	if (value) {
 		/* Special value of '*' means no specific interface name */
 		if (strcmp (value, "*") == 0)
 			value = NULL;
-		else if (!nm_utils_is_valid_iface_name (value, &tmp_error)) {
-			g_set_error (error, NMCLI_ERROR, NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT,
-			             _("Error: '%s': %s"), value, tmp_error->message);
-			g_error_free (tmp_error);
-			return FALSE;
-		}
 	}
 
 	return set_property (nmc->client,
diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 8fb76235b2..d9ccada94b 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -2089,8 +2089,6 @@ _set_fcn_gobject_ifname (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 	if (_SET_FCN_DO_RESET_DEFAULT (property_info, modifier, value))
 		return _gobject_property_reset_default (setting, property_info->property_name);
 
-	if (!nm_utils_is_valid_iface_name (value, error))
-		return FALSE;
 	g_object_set (setting, property_info->property_name, value, NULL);
 	return TRUE;
 }
@@ -2567,24 +2565,6 @@ _multilist_remove_by_value_fcn_connection_permissions (NMSetting *setting,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-_set_fcn_connection_master (ARGS_SET_FCN)
-{
-	if (_SET_FCN_DO_RESET_DEFAULT (property_info, modifier, value))
-		value = NULL;
-	else if (!*value)
-		value = NULL;
-	else if (   !nm_utils_is_valid_iface_name (value, NULL)
-	         && !nm_utils_is_uuid (value)) {
-		g_set_error (error, 1, 0,
-		             _("'%s' is not valid master; use ifname or connection UUID"),
-		             value);
-		return FALSE;
-	}
-	g_object_set (setting, property_info->property_name, value, NULL);
-	return TRUE;
-}
-
 static const char *const*
 _complete_fcn_connection_master (ARGS_COMPLETE_FCN)
 {
@@ -5129,7 +5109,7 @@ static const NMMetaPropertyInfo *const property_infos_CONNECTION[] = {
 	    .prompt =                       NM_META_TEXT_PROMPT_MASTER,
 	    .property_type = DEFINE_PROPERTY_TYPE (
 	        .get_fcn =                  _get_fcn_gobject,
-	        .set_fcn =                  _set_fcn_connection_master,
+	        .set_fcn =                  _set_fcn_gobject_string,
 	        .complete_fcn =             _complete_fcn_connection_master,
 	    ),
 	),