diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
index f512b8b25d..a2447ad66d 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ nm_device_factory_emit_component_added (NMDeviceFactory *factory, GObject *compo
 	gboolean consumed = FALSE;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_DEVICE_FACTORY (factory), FALSE);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (G_IS_OBJECT (component), FALSE);
 
 	g_signal_emit (factory, signals[COMPONENT_ADDED], 0, component, &consumed);
 	return consumed;
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
index 7f8175e455..836af5f522 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
@@ -140,11 +140,15 @@ typedef struct {
 	 * @factory: the #NMDeviceFactory
 	 * @component: a new component which existing devices may wish to claim
 	 *
-	 * The factory emits this signal when it finds a new component.  For example,
-	 * the WWAN factory may indicate that a new modem is available, which an
-	 * existing Bluetooth device may wish to claim.  If no device claims the
-	 * component, the plugin is allowed to create a new #NMDevice instance for
-	 * that component and emit the "device-added" signal.
+	 * The factory emits this signal when an appearance of some component
+	 * native to it could be interesting to some of the already existing devices.
+	 * The devices then indicate if they took interest in claiming the component.
+	 *
+	 * For example, the WWAN factory may indicate that a new modem is available,
+	 * which an existing Bluetooth device may wish to claim. It emits a signal
+	 * passing the modem instance around to see if any device claims it.
+	 * If no device claims the component, the plugin is allowed to create a new
+	 * #NMDevice instance for that component and emit the "device-added" signal.
 	 *
 	 * Returns: %TRUE if the component was claimed by a device, %FALSE if not
 	 */
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.h b/src/devices/nm-device.h
index c91ec2d5ec..cc1510ed7b 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -375,10 +375,10 @@ typedef struct {
 	 * @self: the #NMDevice
 	 * @component: the component (device, modem, etc) which was added
 	 *
-	 * Notifies @self that a new component was added to the Manager.  This
-	 * may include any kind of %GObject subclass, and the device is expected
-	 * to match only specific components they care about, like %NMModem objects
-	 * or %NMDevice objects.
+	 * Notifies @self that a new component that a device might be interested
+	 * in was detected by some device factory. It may include an object of
+	 * %GObject subclass to help the devices decide whether it claims that
+	 * particular object itself and the emitting factory should not.
 	 *
 	 * Returns: %TRUE if the component was claimed exclusively and no further
 	 * devices should be notified of the new component.  %FALSE to indicate