diff --git a/src/nm-device-bond.c b/src/nm-device-bond.c
index 96074beb4d..c6bd2b386f 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-bond.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-bond.c
@@ -496,6 +496,7 @@ nm_device_bond_new (const char *udi, const char *iface)
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_DRIVER, "bonding",
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_TYPE_DESC, "Bond",
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_DEVICE_TYPE, NM_DEVICE_TYPE_BOND,
+	                                  NM_DEVICE_IS_MASTER, TRUE,
 	                                  NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nm-device-bridge.c b/src/nm-device-bridge.c
index 5b1925a6f0..511ca065e4 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-bridge.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-bridge.c
@@ -560,6 +560,7 @@ nm_device_bridge_new (const char *udi, const char *iface)
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_DRIVER, "bridge",
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_TYPE_DESC, "Bridge",
 	                                  NM_DEVICE_DEVICE_TYPE, NM_DEVICE_TYPE_BRIDGE,
+	                                  NM_DEVICE_IS_MASTER, TRUE,
 	                                  NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nm-device.c b/src/nm-device.c
index fb6883194e..88f5c8c6fd 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/nm-device.c
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ enum {
 	PROP_RFKILL_TYPE,
 	PROP_IFINDEX,
 	PROP_AVAILABLE_CONNECTIONS,
+	PROP_IS_MASTER,
 	LAST_PROP
 };
 
@@ -250,8 +251,9 @@ typedef struct {
 	NMDevice *      master;
 	gboolean        enslaved;
 
-	/* list of SlaveInfo for bond/bridge master */
-	GSList *        slaves;
+	/* slave management */
+	gboolean        is_master;
+	GSList *        slaves;    /* list of SlaveInfo */
 
 	NMConnectionProvider *con_provider;
 
@@ -1000,6 +1002,18 @@ nm_device_master_get_slaves (NMDevice *dev)
 	return slaves;
 }
 
+/**
+ * nm_device_is_master:
+ * @dev: the device
+ *
+ * Returns: whether @dev can enslave other devices (eg, bridge or bond)
+ */
+gboolean
+nm_device_is_master (NMDevice *dev)
+{
+	return NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE (dev)->is_master;
+}
+
 /* release all slaves */
 static void
 nm_device_master_release_slaves (NMDevice *self, gboolean failed)
@@ -4292,6 +4306,9 @@ set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 	case PROP_RFKILL_TYPE:
 		priv->rfkill_type = g_value_get_uint (value);
 		break;
+	case PROP_IS_MASTER:
+		priv->is_master = g_value_get_boolean (value);
+		break;
 	default:
 		G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
 		break;
@@ -4414,6 +4431,9 @@ get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 			g_ptr_array_add (array, g_strdup (nm_connection_get_path (connection)));
 		g_value_take_boxed (value, array);
 		break;
+	case PROP_IS_MASTER:
+		g_value_set_boolean (value, priv->is_master);
+		break;
 	default:
 		G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
 		break;
@@ -4635,6 +4655,14 @@ nm_device_class_init (NMDeviceClass *klass)
 		                     DBUS_TYPE_G_ARRAY_OF_OBJECT_PATH,
 		                     G_PARAM_READABLE));
 
+	g_object_class_install_property
+		(object_class, PROP_IS_MASTER,
+		 g_param_spec_boolean (NM_DEVICE_IS_MASTER,
+		                       "IsMaster",
+		                       "IsMaster",
+		                       FALSE,
+		                       G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY));
+
 	/* Signals */
 	signals[STATE_CHANGED] =
 		g_signal_new ("state-changed",
diff --git a/src/nm-device.h b/src/nm-device.h
index 9b2a7f54f4..c878745f31 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/nm-device.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #define NM_DEVICE_TYPE_DESC        "type-desc"    /* Internal only */
 #define NM_DEVICE_RFKILL_TYPE      "rfkill-type"  /* Internal only */
 #define NM_DEVICE_IFINDEX          "ifindex"      /* Internal only */
+#define NM_DEVICE_IS_MASTER        "is-master"    /* Internal only */
 #define NM_DEVICE_AVAILABLE_CONNECTIONS "available-connections"
 
 /* Internal signals */
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ NMIP6Config *	nm_device_get_ip6_config	(NMDevice *dev);
 /* Master */
 gboolean        nm_device_master_add_slave  (NMDevice *dev, NMDevice *slave);
 GSList *        nm_device_master_get_slaves (NMDevice *dev);
+gboolean        nm_device_is_master         (NMDevice *dev);
 
 /* Slave */
 void            nm_device_slave_notify_enslaved (NMDevice *dev,