diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-infiniband.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-infiniband.c
index 099c419273..c420b9d7cb 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-infiniband.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-infiniband.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
              ->check_connection_compatible(device, connection, check_properties, error))
         return FALSE;
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         const char *mac;
         const char *hw_addr;
 
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-ip-tunnel.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-ip-tunnel.c
index 35ae500c3f..cc62180e40 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-ip-tunnel.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-ip-tunnel.c
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
         return FALSE;
     }
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         /* Check parent interface; could be an interface name or a UUID */
         parent = nm_setting_ip_tunnel_get_parent(s_ip_tunnel);
         if (parent && !nm_device_match_parent(device, parent)) {
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
index cc2ee54038..8cdef0cfe2 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-macvlan.c
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
     }
 
     /* Before the device is realized some properties will not be set */
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         if (setting_mode_to_platform(nm_setting_macvlan_get_mode(s_macvlan)) != priv->props.mode) {
             nm_utils_error_set_literal(error,
                                        NM_UTILS_ERROR_CONNECTION_AVAILABLE_TEMPORARY,
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-tun.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-tun.c
index 8f09040361..430e62aa0e 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-tun.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-tun.c
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
              ->check_connection_compatible(device, connection, check_properties, error))
         return FALSE;
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         switch (priv->props.type) {
         case IFF_TUN:
             mode = NM_SETTING_TUN_MODE_TUN;
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vlan.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vlan.c
index 67b51fce7b..7849e7247b 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vlan.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vlan.c
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
              ->check_connection_compatible(device, connection, check_properties, error))
         return FALSE;
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         s_vlan = nm_connection_get_setting_vlan(connection);
 
         if (nm_setting_vlan_get_id(s_vlan) != priv->vlan_id) {
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vrf.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vrf.c
index 7474bfc2a9..b037e8e2a6 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vrf.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vrf.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
              ->check_connection_compatible(device, connection, check_properties, error))
         return FALSE;
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         s_vrf = _nm_connection_get_setting(connection, NM_TYPE_SETTING_VRF);
 
         if (priv->props.table != nm_setting_vrf_get_table(s_vrf)) {
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vxlan.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vxlan.c
index 1b49ca648b..061ee3f2ef 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device-vxlan.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device-vxlan.c
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
              ->check_connection_compatible(device, connection, check_properties, error))
         return FALSE;
 
-    if (nm_device_is_real(device)) {
+    if (check_properties && nm_device_is_real(device)) {
         s_vxlan = nm_connection_get_setting_vxlan(connection);
 
         parent = nm_setting_vxlan_get_parent(s_vxlan);