diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
index 1aed6cd279..725241d5b6 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -6884,7 +6884,7 @@ nm_device_controller_release_port(NMDevice           *self,
     if (c_list_is_empty(&priv->ports)) {
         _active_connection_set_state_flags_full(self,
                                                 0,
-                                                NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES);
+                                                NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS);
     }
 
     /* Ensure the device's hardware address is up-to-date; it often changes
@@ -8535,7 +8535,7 @@ nm_device_controller_add_port(NMDevice *self, NMDevice *port, gboolean configure
         c_list_link_tail(&priv->ports, &info->lst_port);
         port_priv->controller = g_object_ref(self);
 
-        _active_connection_set_state_flags(self, NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES);
+        _active_connection_set_state_flags(self, NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS);
 
         /* no need to emit
          *
diff --git a/src/core/nm-active-connection.c b/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
index 03ee020fbc..ca1993cf67 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ static NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR_DEFINE(
     _state_flags_to_string,
     NMActivationStateFlags,
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_NONE, "none"),
-    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER, "is-controller"),
-    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE, "is-port"),
+    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER, "is-controller"),
+    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT, "is-port"),
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LAYER2_READY, "layer2-ready"),
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP4_READY, "ip4-ready"),
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP6_READY, "ip6-ready"),
-    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES, "controller-has-ports"),
+    NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS, "controller-has-ports"),
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LIFETIME_BOUND_TO_PROFILE_VISIBILITY,
                        "lifetime-bound-to-profile-visibility"),
     NM_UTILS_FLAGS2STR(NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_EXTERNAL, "external"), );
@@ -448,15 +448,15 @@ _set_applied_connection_take(NMActiveConnection *self, NMConnection *applied_con
      * on the connection properties itself. */
     s_con = nm_connection_get_setting_connection(priv->applied_connection);
     if (nm_setting_connection_get_controller(s_con))
-        flags_val |= NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE;
+        flags_val |= NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT;
 
     if (_nm_connection_type_is_controller(nm_setting_connection_get_connection_type(s_con)))
-        flags_val |= NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER;
+        flags_val |= NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER;
 
     nm_active_connection_set_state_flags_full(self,
                                               flags_val,
-                                              NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER
-                                                  | NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE);
+                                              NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER
+                                                  | NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/libnm-core-public/nm-dbus-interface.h b/src/libnm-core-public/nm-dbus-interface.h
index 24a5dbe771..5eedd7da3a 100644
--- a/src/libnm-core-public/nm-dbus-interface.h
+++ b/src/libnm-core-public/nm-dbus-interface.h
@@ -1091,12 +1091,12 @@ typedef enum /*< flags >*/ {
 /**
  * NMActivationStateFlags:
  * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_NONE: an alias for numeric zero, no flags set.
- * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER: the device is a controller.
- * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE: the device is a slave.
+ * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER: the device is a controller.
+ * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT: the device is a port.
  * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LAYER2_READY: layer2 is activated and ready.
  * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP4_READY: IPv4 setting is completed.
  * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP6_READY: IPv6 setting is completed.
- * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES: The controller has any slave devices attached.
+ * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS: The controller has any port devices attached.
  *   This only makes sense if the device is a controller.
  * @NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LIFETIME_BOUND_TO_PROFILE_VISIBILITY: the lifetime
  *   of the activation is bound to the visibility of the connection profile,
@@ -1112,16 +1112,20 @@ typedef enum /*< flags >*/ {
 typedef enum /*< flags >*/ {
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_NONE = 0,
 
-    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER                            = 0x1,
-    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE                             = 0x2,
+    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER                        = 0x1,
+    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT                              = 0x2,
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LAYER2_READY                         = 0x4,
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP4_READY                            = 0x8,
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IP6_READY                            = 0x10,
-    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES                    = 0x20,
+    NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS                 = 0x20,
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_LIFETIME_BOUND_TO_PROFILE_VISIBILITY = 0x40,
     NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_EXTERNAL                             = 0x80,
 } NMActivationStateFlags;
 
+#define NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_MASTER         NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_CONTROLLER
+#define NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_SLAVE          NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_IS_PORT
+#define NM_ACTIVATION_STATE_FLAG_MASTER_HAS_SLAVES NM_ACTIVATION_FLAG_CONTROLLER_HAS_PORTS
+
 /**
  * NMSettingsAddConnection2Flags:
  * @NM_SETTINGS_ADD_CONNECTION2_FLAG_NONE: an alias for numeric zero, no flags set.