diff --git a/clients/common/settings-docs.h.in b/clients/common/settings-docs.h.in
index 2ae2377813..a937f4ba6d 100644
--- a/clients/common/settings-docs.h.in
+++ b/clients/common/settings-docs.h.in
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_BRIDGE_STP_ENABLE N_("Enable or disable STP.")
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_DPDK_DEVARGS N_("Open vSwitch DPDK device arguments.")
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_INTERFACE_TYPE N_("The interface type. Either \"internal\", \"system\", \"patch\", \"dpdk\", or empty.")
-#define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_PATCH_PEER N_("Specifies the unicast destination IP address of a remote Open vSwitch bridge port to connect to.")
+#define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_PATCH_PEER N_("Specifies the name of the interface for the other side of the patch. The patch on the other side must also set this interface as peer.")
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_PORT_BOND_DOWNDELAY N_("The time port must be inactive in order to be considered down.")
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_PORT_BOND_MODE N_("Bonding mode. One of \"active-backup\", \"balance-slb\", or \"balance-tcp\".")
 #define DESCRIBE_DOC_NM_SETTING_OVS_PORT_BOND_UPDELAY N_("The time port must be active before it starts forwarding traffic.")
diff --git a/libnm-core/nm-setting-ovs-patch.c b/libnm-core/nm-setting-ovs-patch.c
index 6a9c9f5681..5135e6ae23 100644
--- a/libnm-core/nm-setting-ovs-patch.c
+++ b/libnm-core/nm-setting-ovs-patch.c
@@ -81,13 +81,7 @@ verify (NMSetting *setting, NMConnection *connection, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
-	if (   !nm_utils_ipaddr_is_valid (AF_INET, self->peer)
-	    && !nm_utils_ipaddr_is_valid (AF_INET6, self->peer)) {
-		g_set_error (error,
-		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-		             NM_CONNECTION_ERROR_INVALID_PROPERTY,
-		             _("'%s' is not a valid IP address"),
-		             self->peer);
+	if (!nm_utils_ifname_valid (self->peer, NMU_IFACE_OVS, error)) {
 		g_prefix_error (error, "%s.%s: ",
 		                NM_SETTING_OVS_PATCH_SETTING_NAME,
 		                NM_SETTING_OVS_PATCH_PEER);
@@ -179,8 +173,8 @@ nm_setting_ovs_patch_class_init (NMSettingOvsPatchClass *klass)
 	/**
 	 * NMSettingOvsPatch:peer:
 	 *
-	 * Specifies the unicast destination IP address of a remote Open vSwitch
-	 * bridge port to connect to.
+	 * Specifies the name of the interface for the other side of the patch.
+	 * The patch on the other side must also set this interface as peer.
 	 *
 	 * Since: 1.10
 	 **/