diff --git a/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c b/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
index a4d38397b2..fc65780ee8 100644
--- a/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
+++ b/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	GHashTable *bridges;            /* bridge uuid => OpenvswitchBridge */
 	char *db_uuid;
 	guint num_failures;
+	bool cleanup_done : 1;
 } NMOvsdbPrivate;
 
 struct _NMOvsdb {
@@ -1476,6 +1477,9 @@ ovsdb_disconnect (NMOvsdb *self, gboolean retry, gboolean is_disposing)
 
 	_LOGD ("disconnecting from ovsdb, retry %d", retry);
 
+	/* FIXME(shutdown): NMOvsdb should process the pending calls before
+	 * shutting down, and cancel the remaining calls after the timeout. */
+
 	if (retry) {
 		if (priv->calls->len != 0)
 			g_array_index (priv->calls, OvsdbMethodCall, 0).id = COMMAND_PENDING;
@@ -1503,6 +1507,46 @@ ovsdb_disconnect (NMOvsdb *self, gboolean retry, gboolean is_disposing)
 		ovsdb_try_connect (self);
 }
 
+static void
+_del_initial_iface_cb (GError *error, gpointer user_data)
+{
+	NMOvsdb *self;
+	gs_free char *ifname = NULL;
+
+	nm_utils_user_data_unpack (user_data, &self, &ifname);
+
+	if (nm_utils_error_is_cancelled_or_disposing (error))
+		return;
+
+	if (error)
+		_LOGD ("failed to delete initial interface '%s': %s", ifname, error->message);
+}
+
+static void
+ovsdb_cleanup_initial_interfaces (NMOvsdb *self)
+{
+	NMOvsdbPrivate *priv = NM_OVSDB_GET_PRIVATE (self);
+	const OpenvswitchInterface *interface;
+	NMUtilsUserData *data;
+	GHashTableIter iter;
+
+	if (priv->cleanup_done)
+		return;
+	priv->cleanup_done = TRUE;
+
+	/* Delete OVS interfaces added by NM. Bridges and ports and
+	 * not considered because they are deleted automatically
+	 * when no interface is present. */
+	g_hash_table_iter_init (&iter, self->_priv.interfaces);
+	while (g_hash_table_iter_next (&iter, NULL, (gpointer *)&interface)) {
+		if (interface->connection_uuid) {
+			_LOGT ("deleting initial interface '%s'", interface->name);
+			data = nm_utils_user_data_pack (self, g_strdup (interface->name));
+			nm_ovsdb_del_interface (self, interface->name, _del_initial_iface_cb, data);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 static void
 _monitor_bridges_cb (NMOvsdb *self, json_t *result, GError *error, gpointer user_data)
 {
@@ -1517,6 +1561,8 @@ _monitor_bridges_cb (NMOvsdb *self, json_t *result, GError *error, gpointer user
 	/* Treat the first response the same as the subsequent "update"
 	 * messages we eventually get. */
 	ovsdb_got_update (self, result);
+
+	ovsdb_cleanup_initial_interfaces (self);
 }
 
 static void