diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
index 0c1720e033..6b404c4fe5 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -16670,6 +16670,14 @@ nm_device_get_state(NMDevice *self)
     return NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE(self)->state;
 }
 
+NMDeviceStateReason
+nm_device_get_state_reason(NMDevice *self)
+{
+    g_return_val_if_fail(NM_IS_DEVICE(self), NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NONE);
+
+    return NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE(self)->state_reason;
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.h b/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
index 7353a3f327..198ea14318 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -561,7 +561,8 @@ int      nm_device_spec_match_list_full(NMDevice *self, const GSList *specs, int
 gboolean nm_device_is_activating(NMDevice *dev);
 gboolean nm_device_autoconnect_allowed(NMDevice *self);
 
-NMDeviceState nm_device_get_state(NMDevice *device);
+NMDeviceState       nm_device_get_state(NMDevice *device);
+NMDeviceStateReason nm_device_get_state_reason(NMDevice *device);
 
 gboolean nm_device_get_enabled(NMDevice *device);
 
diff --git a/src/core/nm-active-connection.c b/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
index 5feab966de..1badef8fb2 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/core/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ typedef struct _NMActiveConnectionPrivate {
 
     NMAuthSubject      *subject;
     NMActiveConnection *master;
+    NMDevice           *controller_dev;
 
     NMActiveConnection *parent;
 
@@ -825,6 +826,31 @@ master_state_cb(NMActiveConnection *master, GParamSpec *pspec, gpointer user_dat
     }
 }
 
+static void
+controller_dev_state_cb(NMDevice           *controller_dev,
+                        NMDeviceState       new_state,
+                        NMDeviceState       old_state,
+                        NMDeviceStateReason reason,
+                        gpointer            user_data)
+{
+    NMActiveConnection        *self = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION(user_data);
+    NMActiveConnectionPrivate *priv = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE(self);
+    NMActRequest              *controller_act_request;
+    NMActiveConnection        *controller_ac;
+
+    if (new_state >= NM_DEVICE_STATE_PREPARE && new_state <= NM_DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVATED) {
+        controller_act_request = nm_device_get_act_request(controller_dev);
+        if (controller_act_request) {
+            controller_ac = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION(controller_act_request);
+            g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func(controller_dev,
+                                                 G_CALLBACK(controller_dev_state_cb),
+                                                 self);
+            g_clear_object(&priv->controller_dev);
+            nm_active_connection_set_master(self, controller_ac);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * nm_active_connection_set_master:
  * @self: the #NMActiveConnection
@@ -866,6 +892,36 @@ nm_active_connection_set_master(NMActiveConnection *self, NMActiveConnection *ma
     check_master_ready(self);
 }
 
+void
+nm_active_connection_set_controller_dev(NMActiveConnection *self, NMDevice *controller_dev)
+{
+    NMActiveConnectionPrivate *priv;
+
+    g_return_if_fail(NM_IS_ACTIVE_CONNECTION(self));
+    g_return_if_fail(NM_IS_DEVICE(controller_dev));
+
+    priv = NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_GET_PRIVATE(self);
+
+    /* Controller device is write-once, and must be set before exporting the object */
+    g_return_if_fail(priv->controller_dev == NULL);
+    g_return_if_fail(!nm_dbus_object_is_exported(NM_DBUS_OBJECT(self)));
+    if (priv->device) {
+        g_return_if_fail(priv->device != controller_dev);
+    }
+
+    _LOGD("set controller device %p, %s(%s), state %s",
+          controller_dev,
+          nm_device_get_iface(controller_dev),
+          nm_device_get_type_desc(controller_dev),
+          nm_device_state_to_string(nm_device_get_state(controller_dev)));
+
+    priv->controller_dev = g_object_ref(controller_dev);
+    g_signal_connect(priv->controller_dev,
+                     NM_DEVICE_STATE_CHANGED,
+                     G_CALLBACK(controller_dev_state_cb),
+                     self);
+}
+
 NMActivationType
 nm_active_connection_get_activation_type(NMActiveConnection *self)
 {
@@ -1532,7 +1588,14 @@ dispose(GObject *object)
     if (priv->master) {
         g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func(priv->master, G_CALLBACK(master_state_cb), self);
     }
+    
+    if (priv->controller_dev) {
+        g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func(priv->controller_dev,
+                                             G_CALLBACK(controller_dev_state_cb),
+                                             self);
+    }
     g_clear_object(&priv->master);
+    g_clear_object(&priv->controller_dev);
 
     if (priv->parent)
         unwatch_parent(self, TRUE);
diff --git a/src/core/nm-active-connection.h b/src/core/nm-active-connection.h
index 8032294f3c..7db90e542c 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-active-connection.h
+++ b/src/core/nm-active-connection.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ NMActiveConnection *nm_active_connection_get_master(NMActiveConnection *self);
 gboolean nm_active_connection_get_master_ready(NMActiveConnection *self);
 
 void nm_active_connection_set_master(NMActiveConnection *self, NMActiveConnection *master);
+void nm_active_connection_set_controller_dev(NMActiveConnection *self, NMDevice *controller_dev);
 
 void nm_active_connection_set_parent(NMActiveConnection *self, NMActiveConnection *parent);
 
diff --git a/src/core/nm-manager.c b/src/core/nm-manager.c
index c69d879d26..c990c32687 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/nm-manager.c
@@ -5955,7 +5955,20 @@ _internal_activate_device(NMManager *self, NMActiveConnection *active, GError **
                                              NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_USER_REQUESTED);
         }
 
-        nm_active_connection_set_master(active, master_ac);
+        /* If controller NMActiveConnection is deactivating, we should wait on
+         * controller's NMDevice to have new NMActiveConnection after
+         * controller device state change to between NM_DEVICE_STATE_PREPARE and
+         * NM_DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVATED.
+         */
+        if ((nm_active_connection_get_state(master_ac) >= NM_ACTIVE_CONNECTION_STATE_DEACTIVATING)
+            && master_device
+            && (nm_device_get_state_reason(master_device)
+                == NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NEW_ACTIVATION)) {
+            nm_active_connection_set_controller_dev(active, master_device);
+        } else {
+            nm_active_connection_set_master(active, master_ac);
+        }
+
         _LOGD(LOGD_CORE,
               "Activation of '%s' depends on active connection %p %s",
               nm_settings_connection_get_id(sett_conn),