diff --git a/src/nm-active-connection.c b/src/nm-active-connection.c
index da478e071e..5852504a7b 100644
--- a/src/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -1446,7 +1446,7 @@ nm_active_connection_init (NMActiveConnection *self)
 	priv->activation_type = NM_ACTIVATION_TYPE_MANAGED;
 	priv->version_id = _version_id_new ();
 
-	priv->keep_alive = nm_keep_alive_new (TRUE);
+	priv->keep_alive = nm_keep_alive_new ();
 	g_signal_connect_object (priv->keep_alive, "notify::" NM_KEEP_ALIVE_ALIVE,
 	                         (GCallback) keep_alive_alive_changed,
 	                         self,
diff --git a/src/nm-keep-alive.c b/src/nm-keep-alive.c
index 96d817a37c..320b9e5b98 100644
--- a/src/nm-keep-alive.c
+++ b/src/nm-keep-alive.c
@@ -382,19 +382,18 @@ get_property (GObject *object,
 static void
 nm_keep_alive_init (NMKeepAlive *self)
 {
-	nm_assert (NM_KEEP_ALIVE_GET_PRIVATE (self)->alive == _is_alive (self));
+	NMKeepAlivePrivate *priv = NM_KEEP_ALIVE_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+
+	priv->floating = TRUE;
+	priv->alive = TRUE;
+
+	nm_assert (priv->alive == _is_alive (self));
 }
 
 NMKeepAlive *
-nm_keep_alive_new (gboolean floating)
+nm_keep_alive_new (void)
 {
-	NMKeepAlive *self = g_object_new (NM_TYPE_KEEP_ALIVE, NULL);
-	NMKeepAlivePrivate *priv = NM_KEEP_ALIVE_GET_PRIVATE (self);
-
-	priv->floating = floating;
-	priv->alive = TRUE;
-	nm_assert (priv->alive == _is_alive (self));
-	return self;
+	return g_object_new (NM_TYPE_KEEP_ALIVE, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/nm-keep-alive.h b/src/nm-keep-alive.h
index 341563b54c..ef5b9d4456 100644
--- a/src/nm-keep-alive.h
+++ b/src/nm-keep-alive.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ typedef struct _NMKeepAliveClass NMKeepAliveClass;
 
 GType nm_keep_alive_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-NMKeepAlive* nm_keep_alive_new (gboolean floating);
+NMKeepAlive* nm_keep_alive_new (void);
 
 gboolean nm_keep_alive_is_alive (NMKeepAlive *self);