diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 649b1c8ec9..dfa73dce1b 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -8382,7 +8382,7 @@ constructed (GObject *object)
 
 	/* Have to call update_initial_hw_address() before calling get_ignore_carrier() */
 	if (nm_device_has_capability (self, NM_DEVICE_CAP_CARRIER_DETECT)) {
-		priv->ignore_carrier = nm_config_get_ignore_carrier (nm_config_get (), self);
+		priv->ignore_carrier = nm_config_data_get_ignore_carrier (nm_config_get_data_orig (nm_config_get ()), self);
 
 		check_carrier (self);
 		_LOGD (LOGD_HW,
diff --git a/src/nm-config-data.c b/src/nm-config-data.c
index 228abb4c19..5cff076af3 100644
--- a/src/nm-config-data.c
+++ b/src/nm-config-data.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "nm-config.h"
+#include "nm-device.h"
 #include "gsystem-local-alloc.h"
 #include "NetworkManagerUtils.h"
 
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ typedef struct {
 		GSList *specs;
 	} no_auto_default;
 
+	GSList *ignore_carrier;
+
 	char *dns_mode;
 } NMConfigDataPrivate;
 
@@ -139,6 +142,15 @@ nm_config_data_get_dns_mode (const NMConfigData *self)
 	return NM_CONFIG_DATA_GET_PRIVATE (self)->dns_mode;
 }
 
+gboolean
+nm_config_data_get_ignore_carrier (const NMConfigData *self, NMDevice *device)
+{
+	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_CONFIG_DATA (self), FALSE);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
+
+	return nm_device_spec_match_list (device, NM_CONFIG_DATA_GET_PRIVATE (self)->ignore_carrier);
+}
+
 /************************************************************************/
 
 static gboolean
@@ -302,6 +314,8 @@ finalize (GObject *gobject)
 
 	g_free (priv->dns_mode);
 
+	g_slist_free_full (priv->ignore_carrier, g_free);
+
 	g_key_file_unref (priv->keyfile);
 
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_config_data_parent_class)->finalize (gobject);
@@ -332,6 +346,8 @@ constructed (GObject *object)
 
 	priv->dns_mode = g_key_file_get_value (priv->keyfile, "main", "dns", NULL);
 
+	priv->ignore_carrier = nm_config_get_device_match_spec (priv->keyfile, "main", "ignore-carrier");
+
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_config_data_parent_class)->constructed (object);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nm-config-data.h b/src/nm-config-data.h
index f260a73a90..4141b56815 100644
--- a/src/nm-config-data.h
+++ b/src/nm-config-data.h
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ const GSList *    nm_config_data_get_no_auto_default_list (const NMConfigData *c
 
 const char *nm_config_data_get_dns_mode (const NMConfigData *self);
 
+gboolean nm_config_data_get_ignore_carrier (const NMConfigData *self, NMDevice *device);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* NM_CONFIG_DATA_H */
diff --git a/src/nm-config.c b/src/nm-config.c
index a40b683056..25e4902bde 100644
--- a/src/nm-config.c
+++ b/src/nm-config.c
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ typedef struct {
 
 	char *debug;
 
-	GSList *ignore_carrier;
-
 	gboolean configure_and_quit;
 } NMConfigPrivate;
 
@@ -225,15 +223,6 @@ nm_config_get_configure_and_quit (NMConfig *config)
 	return NM_CONFIG_GET_PRIVATE (config)->configure_and_quit;
 }
 
-gboolean
-nm_config_get_ignore_carrier (NMConfig *config, NMDevice *device)
-{
-	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_CONFIG (config), FALSE);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
-
-	return nm_device_spec_match_list (device, NM_CONFIG_GET_PRIVATE (config)->ignore_carrier);
-}
-
 /************************************************************************/
 
 static char **
@@ -850,8 +839,6 @@ init_sync (GInitable *initable, GCancellable *cancellable, GError **error)
 
 	priv->debug = g_key_file_get_value (keyfile, "main", "debug", NULL);
 
-	priv->ignore_carrier = nm_config_get_device_match_spec (keyfile, "main", "ignore-carrier");
-
 	priv->configure_and_quit = _get_bool_value (keyfile, "main", "configure-and-quit", FALSE);
 
 	no_auto_default_orig_list = nm_config_get_device_match_spec (keyfile, "main", "no-auto-default");
@@ -905,7 +892,6 @@ finalize (GObject *gobject)
 	g_free (priv->log_level);
 	g_free (priv->log_domains);
 	g_free (priv->debug);
-	g_slist_free_full (priv->ignore_carrier, g_free);
 
 	_nm_config_cmd_line_options_clear (&priv->cli);
 
diff --git a/src/nm-config.h b/src/nm-config.h
index a559de2c4c..e72132af9d 100644
--- a/src/nm-config.h
+++ b/src/nm-config.h
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ const char *nm_config_get_log_domains (NMConfig *config);
 const char *nm_config_get_debug (NMConfig *config);
 gboolean nm_config_get_configure_and_quit (NMConfig *config);
 
-gboolean nm_config_get_ignore_carrier (NMConfig *config, NMDevice *device);
-
 /* for main.c only */
 NMConfigCmdLineOptions *nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (void);
 void                    nm_config_cmd_line_options_free (NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli);