diff --git a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
index fb0c6dc6be..7409391987 100644
--- a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
+++ b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-plugin.c
@@ -922,7 +922,7 @@ nms_keyfile_plugin_update_connection(NMSKeyfilePlugin   *self,
             _get_plugin_dir(priv),
             previous_filename,
             FALSE,
-            force_rename,
+            !!force_rename,
             nm_sett_util_allow_filename_cb,
             NM_SETT_UTIL_ALLOW_FILENAME_DATA(&priv->storages, previous_filename),
             &full_filename,
diff --git a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.c b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.c
index 12e6993fa2..b1dd2e446f 100644
--- a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.c
+++ b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.c
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ _internal_write_connection(NMConnection                   *connection,
                            pid_t                           owner_grp,
                            const char                     *existing_path,
                            gboolean                        existing_path_read_only,
-                           gboolean                        force_rename,
+                           NMTernary                       force_rename,
                            NMSKeyfileWriterAllowFilenameCb allow_filename_cb,
                            gpointer                        allow_filename_user_data,
                            char                          **out_path,
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ _internal_write_connection(NMConnection                   *connection,
     gs_free_error GError           *local_err = NULL;
     int                             errsv;
     gboolean                        rename;
+    gboolean                        rename_follow;
     int                             i_path;
     gs_unref_object NMConnection   *reread      = NULL;
     gboolean                        reread_same = FALSE;
@@ -223,8 +224,12 @@ _internal_write_connection(NMConnection                   *connection,
 
     nm_assert(!shadowed_owned || shadowed_storage);
 
-    rename = force_rename || existing_path_read_only
-             || (existing_path && !nm_utils_file_is_in_path(existing_path, keyfile_dir));
+    rename = existing_path_read_only
+             || (existing_path && !nm_utils_file_is_in_path(existing_path, keyfile_dir))
+             || force_rename == NM_TERNARY_TRUE;
+
+    /* Follow the connection.id upon change. */
+    rename_follow = !rename && existing_path && force_rename == NM_TERNARY_DEFAULT;
 
     id = nm_connection_get_id(connection);
     nm_assert(id && *id);
@@ -283,7 +288,7 @@ _internal_write_connection(NMConnection                   *connection,
         gboolean      is_existing_path;
 
         if (i_path == -2) {
-            if (!existing_path || rename)
+            if (!existing_path || rename || rename_follow)
                 continue;
             path_candidate = g_strdup(existing_path);
         } else if (i_path == -1) {
@@ -427,7 +432,7 @@ nms_keyfile_writer_connection(NMConnection                   *connection,
                               const char                     *profile_dir,
                               const char                     *existing_path,
                               gboolean                        existing_path_read_only,
-                              gboolean                        force_rename,
+                              NMTernary                       force_rename,
                               NMSKeyfileWriterAllowFilenameCb allow_filename_cb,
                               gpointer                        allow_filename_user_data,
                               char                          **out_path,
diff --git a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.h b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.h
index cb7050a4d9..850d5522a8 100644
--- a/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.h
+++ b/src/core/settings/plugins/keyfile/nms-keyfile-writer.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ gboolean nms_keyfile_writer_connection(NMConnection                   *connectio
                                        const char                     *profile_dir,
                                        const char                     *existing_path,
                                        gboolean                        existing_path_read_only,
-                                       gboolean                        force_rename,
+                                       NMTernary                       force_rename,
                                        NMSKeyfileWriterAllowFilenameCb allow_filename_cb,
                                        gpointer                        allow_filename_user_data,
                                        char                          **out_path,