diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-inotify-helper.h b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-inotify-helper.h
index 2715f3eec5..b887ae378a 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-inotify-helper.h
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nm-inotify-helper.h
@@ -43,4 +43,17 @@ int nm_inotify_helper_add_watch (NMInotifyHelper *helper, const char *path);
 
 void nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (NMInotifyHelper *helper, int wd);
 
+static inline gboolean
+nm_inotify_helper_clear_watch (NMInotifyHelper *helper, int *wd)
+{
+	int x;
+
+	if (wd && ((x = *wd) >= 0)) {
+		*wd = -1;
+		nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (helper, x);
+		return TRUE;
+	}
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
 #endif  /* __NM_INOTIFY_HELPER_H__ */
diff --git a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-connection.c b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-connection.c
index c8712f1833..5d3428d6bf 100644
--- a/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-connection.c
+++ b/src/settings/plugins/ifcfg-rh/nms-ifcfg-rh-connection.c
@@ -220,28 +220,14 @@ path_watch_stop (NMIfcfgConnection *self)
 
 	nm_clear_g_signal_handler (priv->inotify_helper, &priv->ih_event_id);
 
-	if (priv->file_wd >= 0) {
-		nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (priv->inotify_helper, priv->file_wd);
-		priv->file_wd = -1;
-	}
+	nm_inotify_helper_clear_watch (priv->inotify_helper, &priv->file_wd);
+	nm_inotify_helper_clear_watch (priv->inotify_helper, &priv->keyfile_wd);
+	nm_inotify_helper_clear_watch (priv->inotify_helper, &priv->routefile_wd);
+	nm_inotify_helper_clear_watch (priv->inotify_helper, &priv->route6file_wd);
 
 	nm_clear_g_free (&priv->keyfile);
-	if (priv->keyfile_wd >= 0) {
-		nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (priv->inotify_helper, priv->keyfile_wd);
-		priv->keyfile_wd = -1;
-	}
-
 	nm_clear_g_free (&priv->routefile);
-	if (priv->routefile_wd >= 0) {
-		nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (priv->inotify_helper, priv->routefile_wd);
-		priv->routefile_wd = -1;
-	}
-
 	nm_clear_g_free (&priv->route6file);
-	if (priv->route6file_wd >= 0) {
-		nm_inotify_helper_remove_watch (priv->inotify_helper, priv->route6file_wd);
-		priv->route6file_wd = -1;
-	}
 }
 
 static void