diff --git a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
index e88e09d573..f8685f018a 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ constructor (GType type,
 	GObject *object;
 	NMDeviceEthernetPrivate *priv;
 	NMDevice *self;
+	int itype;
 
 	object = G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_device_ethernet_parent_class)->constructor (type,
 	                                                                        n_construct_params,
@@ -289,7 +290,8 @@ constructor (GType type,
 
 	// FIXME: Convert this into a no-export property so type can be specified
 	//        when the device is created.
-	if (!strcmp(nm_device_get_driver (self), "bonding"))
+	itype = nm_system_get_iface_type (nm_device_get_ifindex (self), nm_device_get_iface (self));
+	if (itype == NM_IFACE_TYPE_BOND)
 		priv->type = NM_ETHERNET_TYPE_BOND;
 	else
 		priv->type = NM_ETHERNET_TYPE_UNSPEC;
diff --git a/src/nm-system.c b/src/nm-system.c
index 08f5084da7..c72566791d 100644
--- a/src/nm-system.c
+++ b/src/nm-system.c
@@ -1499,25 +1499,30 @@ out:
 
 /**
  * nm_system_get_iface_type:
+ * @ifindex: interface index
  * @name: name of interface
  *
- * Lookup the type of an interface
+ * Lookup the type of an interface.  At least one of @ifindex or @name must
+ * be provided.
  *
  * Returns: Interface type (NM_IFACE_TYPE_*) or NM_IFACE_TYPE_UNSPEC.
  **/
 int
-nm_system_get_iface_type (const char *name)
+nm_system_get_iface_type (int ifindex, const char *name)
 {
 	struct rtnl_link *result;
 	struct nl_sock *nlh;
 	char *type;
 	int res = NM_IFACE_TYPE_UNSPEC;
 
+	g_return_val_if_fail (ifindex >= 0 || name, NM_IFACE_TYPE_UNSPEC);
+
 	nlh = nm_netlink_get_default_handle ();
 	if (!nlh)
 		goto out;
 
-	if (rtnl_link_get_kernel (nlh, 0, name, &result) < 0)
+	/* Prefer interface indexes to names */
+	if (rtnl_link_get_kernel (nlh, ifindex, ifindex < 0 ? name : NULL, &result) < 0)
 		goto out;
 
 	type = rtnl_link_get_type (result);
diff --git a/src/nm-system.h b/src/nm-system.h
index 34bfb864df..66fd57d83b 100644
--- a/src/nm-system.h
+++ b/src/nm-system.h
@@ -100,6 +100,6 @@ enum {
 		NM_IFACE_TYPE_DUMMY,
 };
 
-int             nm_system_get_iface_type                (const char *name);
+int             nm_system_get_iface_type      (int ifindex, const char *name);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/nm-udev-manager.c b/src/nm-udev-manager.c
index 0c2ab4b50e..d8d213ef10 100644
--- a/src/nm-udev-manager.c
+++ b/src/nm-udev-manager.c
@@ -399,8 +399,14 @@ net_add (NMUdevManager *self, GUdevDevice *udev_device)
 		}
 	}
 
+	ifindex = g_udev_device_get_sysfs_attr_as_int (udev_device, "ifindex");
+	if (ifindex <= 0) {
+		nm_log_warn (LOGD_HW, "%s: device had invalid ifindex %d; ignoring...", path, (guint32) ifindex);
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!driver) {
-		switch (nm_system_get_iface_type (ifname)) {
+		switch (nm_system_get_iface_type (ifindex, ifname)) {
 		case NM_IFACE_TYPE_BOND:
 			driver = "bonding";
 			break;
@@ -416,12 +422,6 @@ net_add (NMUdevManager *self, GUdevDevice *udev_device)
 		}
 	}
 
-	ifindex = g_udev_device_get_sysfs_attr_as_int (udev_device, "ifindex");
-	if (ifindex <= 0) {
-		nm_log_warn (LOGD_HW, "%s: device had invalid ifindex %d; ignoring...", path, (guint32) ifindex);
-		goto out;
-	}
-
 	g_signal_emit (self, signals[DEVICE_ADDED], 0, udev_device, ifname, path, driver, ifindex);
 
 out: