diff --git a/src/nm-device-bond.c b/src/nm-device-bond.c
index 45522b7917..064011ee2e 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-bond.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-bond.c
@@ -223,20 +223,6 @@ complete_connection (NMDevice *device,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
-{
-	NMDeviceBondPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_BOND_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
-
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (priv->hw_addr, nm_utils_hwaddr_type (priv->hw_addr_len));
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
-
-	return matched;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 bond_match_config (NMDevice *self, NMConnection *connection)
 {
@@ -462,7 +448,6 @@ nm_device_bond_class_init (NMDeviceBondClass *klass)
 	parent_class->check_connection_compatible = check_connection_compatible;
 	parent_class->complete_connection = complete_connection;
 
-	parent_class->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	parent_class->connection_match_config = connection_match_config;
 
 	parent_class->act_stage1_prepare = act_stage1_prepare;
diff --git a/src/nm-device-bridge.c b/src/nm-device-bridge.c
index 1da45826ae..82e9f565a9 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-bridge.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-bridge.c
@@ -225,20 +225,6 @@ complete_connection (NMDevice *device,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
-{
-	NMDeviceBridgePrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_BRIDGE_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
-
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (priv->hw_addr, nm_utils_hwaddr_type (priv->hw_addr_len));
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
-
-	return matched;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 bridge_match_config (NMDevice *self, NMConnection *connection)
 {
@@ -518,7 +504,6 @@ nm_device_bridge_class_init (NMDeviceBridgeClass *klass)
 	parent_class->check_connection_compatible = check_connection_compatible;
 	parent_class->complete_connection = complete_connection;
 
-	parent_class->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	parent_class->connection_match_config = connection_match_config;
 
 	parent_class->act_stage1_prepare = act_stage1_prepare;
diff --git a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
index 44049ccfb7..7279f191da 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
@@ -1352,17 +1352,11 @@ static gboolean
 spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
 {
 	NMDeviceEthernetPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_ETHERNET_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
 
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (&priv->perm_hw_addr, ARPHRD_ETHER);
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
+	if (priv->subchannels && nm_match_spec_s390_subchannels (specs, priv->subchannels))
+		return TRUE;
 
-	if (!matched && priv->subchannels)
-		matched = nm_match_spec_s390_subchannels (specs, priv->subchannels);
-
-	return matched;
+	return NM_DEVICE_CLASS (nm_device_ethernet_parent_class)->spec_match_list (device, specs);
 }
 
 static NMConnection *
diff --git a/src/nm-device-infiniband.c b/src/nm-device-infiniband.c
index c7dcf19c87..03e37dc05d 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-infiniband.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-infiniband.c
@@ -332,20 +332,6 @@ complete_connection (NMDevice *device,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
-{
-	NMDeviceInfinibandPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_INFINIBAND_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
-
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (priv->hw_addr, ARPHRD_INFINIBAND);
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
-
-	return matched;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 infiniband_match_config (NMDevice *self, NMConnection *connection)
 {
@@ -476,7 +462,6 @@ nm_device_infiniband_class_init (NMDeviceInfinibandClass *klass)
 
 	parent_class->act_stage1_prepare = act_stage1_prepare;
 	parent_class->ip4_config_pre_commit = ip4_config_pre_commit;
-	parent_class->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	parent_class->connection_match_config = connection_match_config;
 	parent_class->hwaddr_matches = hwaddr_matches;
 
diff --git a/src/nm-device-vlan.c b/src/nm-device-vlan.c
index 7eb3d8d4ed..159122f504 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-vlan.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-vlan.c
@@ -354,21 +354,6 @@ complete_connection (NMDevice *device,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static gboolean
-spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
-{
-	NMDeviceVlanPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_VLAN_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
-	int itype = nm_utils_hwaddr_type (priv->hw_addr_len);
-
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (priv->hw_addr, itype);
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
-
-	return matched;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 vlan_match_config (NMDevice *device, NMConnection *connection)
 {
@@ -673,7 +658,6 @@ nm_device_vlan_class_init (NMDeviceVlanClass *klass)
 	parent_class->get_best_auto_connection = get_best_auto_connection;
 	parent_class->check_connection_compatible = check_connection_compatible;
 	parent_class->complete_connection = complete_connection;
-	parent_class->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	parent_class->connection_match_config = connection_match_config;
 
 	/* properties */
diff --git a/src/nm-device-wifi.c b/src/nm-device-wifi.c
index 4f143f3366..8949a95602 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-wifi.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-wifi.c
@@ -3427,20 +3427,6 @@ get_type_capabilities (NMDevice *dev)
 }
 
 
-static gboolean
-spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
-{
-	NMDeviceWifiPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_WIFI_GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	char *hwaddr;
-	gboolean matched;
-
-	hwaddr = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (&priv->perm_hw_addr, ARPHRD_ETHER);
-	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr);
-	g_free (hwaddr);
-
-	return matched;
-}
-
 static gboolean
 hwaddr_matches (NMDevice *device,
                 NMConnection *connection,
@@ -3779,7 +3765,6 @@ nm_device_wifi_class_init (NMDeviceWifiClass *klass)
 	parent_class->act_stage4_ip6_config_timeout = act_stage4_ip6_config_timeout;
 	parent_class->deactivate = deactivate;
 	parent_class->can_interrupt_activation = can_interrupt_activation;
-	parent_class->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	parent_class->hwaddr_matches = hwaddr_matches;
 
 	parent_class->state_changed = device_state_changed;
diff --git a/src/nm-device.c b/src/nm-device.c
index 4b9b9737e3..386e5487c6 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/nm-device.c
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ static gboolean nm_device_activate_ip6_config_commit (gpointer user_data);
 
 static gboolean check_connection_available (NMDevice *device, NMConnection *connection);
 
+static gboolean spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs);
+
 static void _clear_available_connections (NMDevice *device, gboolean do_signal);
 
 static void dhcp4_cleanup (NMDevice *self, gboolean stop, gboolean release);
@@ -4745,6 +4747,7 @@ nm_device_class_init (NMDeviceClass *klass)
 	klass->act_stage4_ip6_config_timeout = act_stage4_ip6_config_timeout;
 	klass->have_any_ready_slaves = have_any_ready_slaves;
 
+	klass->spec_match_list = spec_match_list;
 	klass->check_connection_available = check_connection_available;
 	klass->hw_is_up = hw_is_up;
 	klass->hw_bring_up = hw_bring_up;
@@ -5470,6 +5473,22 @@ nm_device_spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
 	return FALSE;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+spec_match_list (NMDevice *device, const GSList *specs)
+{
+	const guint8 *hwaddr;
+	guint hwaddr_len = 0;
+	char *hwaddr_str;
+	gboolean matched;
+
+	hwaddr = nm_device_get_hw_address (device, &hwaddr_len);
+	hwaddr_str = nm_utils_hwaddr_ntoa (hwaddr, nm_utils_hwaddr_type (hwaddr_len));
+	matched = nm_match_spec_hwaddr (specs, hwaddr_str);
+	g_free (hwaddr_str);
+
+	return matched;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 ip4_match_config (NMDevice *self, NMConnection *connection)
 {