diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index c9451e0231..bbad10946b 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -8968,7 +8968,7 @@ NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR_DEFINE (nm_unmanaged_flags2str, NMUnmanagedFlags,
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_PLATFORM_INIT, "platform-init"),
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT, "user-explicit"),
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_BY_DEFAULT, "by-default"),
-	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG, "user-config"),
+	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS, "user-settings"),
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV, "user-udev"),
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_EXTERNAL_DOWN, "external-down"),
 	NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR (NM_UNMANAGED_IS_SLAVE, "is-slave"),
@@ -9029,7 +9029,7 @@ _get_managed_by_flags(NMUnmanagedFlags flags, NMUnmanagedFlags mask, gboolean fo
 	 * Some flags are authoritative, meaning they always cause
 	 * the device to be unmanaged (e.g. @NM_UNMANAGED_PLATFORM_INIT).
 	 *
-	 * OTOH, some flags can be overwritten. For example NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG
+	 * OTOH, some flags can be overwritten. For example NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS
 	 * is ignored once NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT is set. The idea is that
 	 * the flag from the configuration has no effect once the user explicitly
 	 * touches the unmanaged flags. */
@@ -9051,31 +9051,20 @@ _get_managed_by_flags(NMUnmanagedFlags flags, NMUnmanagedFlags mask, gboolean fo
 		flags &= ~NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT;
 	}
 
-	if (   NM_FLAGS_ANY (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG)
-	    && !NM_FLAGS_ANY (flags, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG)) {
-		/* NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG can only explicitly unmanage a device. It cannot
-		 * *manage* it. Having NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG explicitly not set, is the
+	if (   NM_FLAGS_ANY (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS)
+	    && !NM_FLAGS_ANY (flags, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS)) {
+		/* NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS can only explicitly unmanage a device. It cannot
+		 * *manage* it. Having NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS explicitly not set, is the
 		 * same as having it not set at all. */
-		mask &= ~NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG;
+		mask &= ~NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS;
 	}
 
-	if (NM_FLAGS_ANY (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV | NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG)) {
+	if (NM_FLAGS_ANY (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV)) {
 		/* configuration from udev or nm-config overwrites the by-default flag
 		 * which is based on the device type. */
 		flags &= ~NM_UNMANAGED_BY_DEFAULT;
 	}
 
-	if (NM_FLAGS_HAS (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG)) {
-		/* configuration from configuration overwrites the setting
-		 * originating from udev.
-		 *
-		 * Actually, this check has no effect, because at this point,
-		 * the device also is NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG. Thus clearing
-		 * NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV doesn't change the outcome.
-		 * Just be explicit about this. */
-		flags &= ~NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV;
-	}
-
 	if (   NM_FLAGS_HAS (mask, NM_UNMANAGED_IS_SLAVE)
 	    && !NM_FLAGS_HAS (flags, NM_UNMANAGED_IS_SLAVE)) {
 		/* for an enslaved device, by-default doesn't matter */
@@ -9087,7 +9076,6 @@ _get_managed_by_flags(NMUnmanagedFlags flags, NMUnmanagedFlags mask, gboolean fo
 		 * are ignored. */
 
 		flags &= ~(  NM_UNMANAGED_BY_DEFAULT
-		           | NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG
 		           | NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV
 		           | NM_UNMANAGED_EXTERNAL_DOWN);
 	}
@@ -9294,7 +9282,7 @@ nm_device_set_unmanaged_by_user_config (NMDevice *self, const GSList *unmanaged_
 	unmanaged = nm_device_spec_match_list (self, unmanaged_specs);
 
 	nm_device_set_unmanaged_by_flags (self,
-	                                  NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG,
+	                                  NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS,
 	                                  unmanaged,
 	                                  unmanaged
 	                                      ? NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NOW_UNMANAGED
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.h b/src/devices/nm-device.h
index e203d2a5f5..9b9edda494 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -430,9 +430,11 @@ RfKillType nm_device_get_rfkill_type (NMDevice *device);
  *   yet initialized. Unrealized device are also unmanaged for this reason.
  * @NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT: %TRUE when unmanaged by explicit user decision
  *   (e.g. via a D-Bus command)
+ * @NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS: %TRUE when unmanaged by user decision via
+ *   the settings plugin (for example keyfile.unmanaged-devices or ifcfg-rh's
+ *   NM_CONTROLLED=no)
  * @NM_UNMANAGED_BY_DEFAULT: %TRUE for certain device types where we unmanage
  *   them by default
- * @NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG: %TRUE when unmanaged by user decision (via unmanaged-specs)
  * @NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV: %TRUE when unmanaged by user decision (via UDev rule)
  * @NM_UNMANAGED_EXTERNAL_DOWN: %TRUE when unmanaged because !IFF_UP and not created by NM
  * @NM_UNMANAGED_IS_SLAVE: indicates that the device is enslaved. Note that
@@ -450,11 +452,11 @@ typedef enum { /*< skip >*/
 	NM_UNMANAGED_LOOPBACK      = (1LL <<  3),
 	NM_UNMANAGED_PLATFORM_INIT = (1LL <<  4),
 	NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT = (1LL <<  5),
+	NM_UNMANAGED_USER_SETTINGS = (1LL <<  6),
 
 	/* These flags can be non-effective and be overwritten
 	 * by other flags. */
 	NM_UNMANAGED_BY_DEFAULT    = (1LL <<  8),
-	NM_UNMANAGED_USER_CONFIG   = (1LL <<  9),
 	NM_UNMANAGED_USER_UDEV     = (1LL << 10),
 	NM_UNMANAGED_EXTERNAL_DOWN = (1LL << 11),
 	NM_UNMANAGED_IS_SLAVE      = (1LL << 12),
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
index c524e0f9c8..2ee5a0b9d8 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-ifcfg-connection.c
@@ -516,6 +516,9 @@ dispose (GObject *object)
 
 	g_clear_object (&priv->inotify_helper);
 
+	g_clear_pointer (&priv->unmanaged_spec, g_free);
+	g_clear_pointer (&priv->unrecognized_spec, g_free);
+
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_ifcfg_connection_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }