diff --git a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-manager.c b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-manager.c
index 07fcc22122..971906e083 100644
--- a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-manager.c
+++ b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-manager.c
@@ -1493,6 +1493,7 @@ _clear_plugin (NMDnsManager *self)
 	if (priv->plugin) {
 		g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->plugin, plugin_failed, self);
 		g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->plugin, plugin_child_quit, self);
+		nm_dns_plugin_stop (priv->plugin);
 		g_clear_object (&priv->plugin);
 		return TRUE;
 	}
diff --git a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.c b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.c
index b9e6e8bf07..f065a1ceca 100644
--- a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.c
+++ b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.c
@@ -254,6 +254,12 @@ nm_dns_plugin_child_kill (NMDnsPlugin *self)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+void
+nm_dns_plugin_stop (NMDnsPlugin *self)
+{
+	nm_dns_plugin_child_kill (self);
+}
+
 /********************************************/
 
 static void
@@ -266,7 +272,7 @@ dispose (GObject *object)
 {
 	NMDnsPlugin *self = NM_DNS_PLUGIN (object);
 
-	nm_dns_plugin_child_kill (self);
+	nm_dns_plugin_stop (self);
 
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_dns_plugin_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
diff --git a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.h b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.h
index a5eb741ae7..4c84b1457d 100644
--- a/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.h
+++ b/src/dns-manager/nm-dns-plugin.h
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ gboolean nm_dns_plugin_update (NMDnsPlugin *self,
                                const NMGlobalDnsConfig *global_config,
                                const char *hostname);
 
+void nm_dns_plugin_stop (NMDnsPlugin *self);
+
 /* For subclasses/plugins */
 
 /* Spawn a child process and watch for it to quit.  'argv' is the NULL-terminated