diff --git a/src/nm-active-connection.c b/src/nm-active-connection.c
index 8c5a8573ba..4b8b4e853e 100644
--- a/src/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -121,9 +121,8 @@ static const GDBusSignalInfo signal_info_state_changed;
 
 static void check_master_ready (NMActiveConnection *self);
 static void _device_cleanup (NMActiveConnection *self);
-static void _settings_connection_notify_flags (NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection,
-                                               GParamSpec *param,
-                                               NMActiveConnection *self);
+static void _settings_connection_flags_changed (NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection,
+                                                NMActiveConnection *self);
 static void _set_activation_type_managed (NMActiveConnection *self);
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
@@ -200,12 +199,12 @@ _set_settings_connection (NMActiveConnection *self, NMSettingsConnection *connec
 
 	if (priv->settings_connection.obj) {
 		g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->settings_connection.obj, _settings_connection_updated, self);
-		g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->settings_connection.obj, _settings_connection_notify_flags, self);
+		g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->settings_connection.obj, _settings_connection_flags_changed, self);
 	}
 	if (connection) {
 		g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UPDATED_INTERNAL, (GCallback) _settings_connection_updated, self);
 		if (nm_active_connection_get_activation_type (self) == NM_ACTIVATION_TYPE_EXTERNAL)
-			g_signal_connect (connection, "notify::"NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS, (GCallback) _settings_connection_notify_flags, self);
+			g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS_CHANGED, (GCallback) _settings_connection_flags_changed, self);
 	}
 
 	nm_dbus_track_obj_path_set (&priv->settings_connection, connection, TRUE);
@@ -857,9 +856,9 @@ _set_activation_type (NMActiveConnection *self,
 
 	if (priv->settings_connection.obj) {
 		if (activation_type == NM_ACTIVATION_TYPE_EXTERNAL)
-			g_signal_connect (priv->settings_connection.obj, "notify::"NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS, (GCallback) _settings_connection_notify_flags, self);
+			g_signal_connect (priv->settings_connection.obj, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS_CHANGED, (GCallback) _settings_connection_flags_changed, self);
 		else
-			g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->settings_connection.obj, _settings_connection_notify_flags, self);
+			g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->settings_connection.obj, _settings_connection_flags_changed, self);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -896,9 +895,8 @@ nm_active_connection_get_activation_reason (NMActiveConnection *self)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 static void
-_settings_connection_notify_flags (NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection,
-                                   GParamSpec *param,
-                                   NMActiveConnection *self)
+_settings_connection_flags_changed (NMSettingsConnection *settings_connection,
+                                    NMActiveConnection *self)
 {
 	GError *error = NULL;
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
index 5a9159983a..ba2854f936 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.c
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@ static void nm_settings_connection_connection_interface_init (NMConnectionInterf
 NM_GOBJECT_PROPERTIES_DEFINE (NMSettingsConnection,
 	PROP_UNSAVED,
 	PROP_READY,
-	PROP_FLAGS,
 	PROP_FILENAME,
 );
 
 enum {
 	REMOVED,
 	UPDATED_INTERNAL,
+	FLAGS_CHANGED,
 	LAST_SIGNAL
 };
 
@@ -2364,9 +2364,9 @@ nm_settings_connection_set_flags_full (NMSettingsConnection *self,
 		       _settings_connection_flags_to_string (priv->flags, buf2, sizeof (buf2)));
 		priv->flags = value;
 		nm_assert (priv->flags == value);
-		_notify (self, PROP_FLAGS);
 		if (NM_FLAGS_HAS (old_flags, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_INT_FLAGS_UNSAVED) != NM_FLAGS_HAS (value, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_INT_FLAGS_UNSAVED))
 			_notify (self, PROP_UNSAVED);
+		g_signal_emit (self, signals[FLAGS_CHANGED], 0);
 	}
 	return old_flags;
 }
@@ -3071,9 +3071,6 @@ get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 	case PROP_READY:
 		g_value_set_boolean (value, nm_settings_connection_get_ready (self));
 		break;
-	case PROP_FLAGS:
-		g_value_set_uint (value, nm_settings_connection_get_flags (self));
-		break;
 	case PROP_FILENAME:
 		g_value_set_string (value, nm_settings_connection_get_filename (self));
 		break;
@@ -3226,14 +3223,6 @@ nm_settings_connection_class_init (NMSettingsConnectionClass *klass)
 	                           G_PARAM_READABLE |
 	                           G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
 
-	obj_properties[PROP_FLAGS] =
-	     g_param_spec_uint (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS, "", "",
-	                        NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_INT_FLAGS_NONE,
-	                        NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_INT_FLAGS_ALL,
-	                        NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_INT_FLAGS_NONE,
-	                        G_PARAM_READABLE |
-	                        G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
-
 	obj_properties[PROP_FILENAME] =
 	     g_param_spec_string (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FILENAME, "", "",
 	                          NULL,
@@ -3260,6 +3249,14 @@ nm_settings_connection_class_init (NMSettingsConnectionClass *klass)
 	                  NULL, NULL,
 	                  g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID,
 	                  G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
+
+	signals[FLAGS_CHANGED] =
+	    g_signal_new (NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS_CHANGED,
+	                  G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass),
+	                  G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
+	                  0, NULL, NULL,
+	                  g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID,
+	                  G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
index 1c1bf7b439..f5d7b04749 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings-connection.h
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_GET_SECRETS "get-secrets"
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_CANCEL_SECRETS "cancel-secrets"
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UPDATED_INTERNAL "updated-internal"
+#define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS_CHANGED    "flags-changed"
 
 /* Properties */
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UNSAVED  "unsaved"
 
 /* Internal properties */
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_READY    "ready"
-#define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS    "flags"
 #define NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FILENAME "filename"
 
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings.c b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
index d42994d728..e2be3d120e 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
@@ -829,7 +829,6 @@ connection_updated (NMSettingsConnection *connection, gboolean by_user, gpointer
 
 static void
 connection_flags_changed (NMSettingsConnection *connection,
-                          GParamSpec *pspec,
                           gpointer user_data)
 {
 	g_signal_emit (NM_SETTINGS (user_data),
@@ -992,7 +991,7 @@ claim_connection (NMSettings *self, NMSettingsConnection *connection)
 	                        G_CALLBACK (connection_removed), self);
 	g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UPDATED_INTERNAL,
 	                  G_CALLBACK (connection_updated), self);
-	g_signal_connect (connection, "notify::" NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS,
+	g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_FLAGS_CHANGED,
 	                  G_CALLBACK (connection_flags_changed),
 	                  self);
 	if (!priv->startup_complete) {