diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/nm-keyfile-connection.c b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/nm-keyfile-connection.c
index 0c9912e21a..048cd0cd4f 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/nm-keyfile-connection.c
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/nm-keyfile-connection.c
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ commit_changes (NMSettingsConnection *connection,
 	char *path = NULL;
 	GError *error = NULL;
 
-	if (!nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NM_CONNECTION (connection), KEYFILE_DIR, 0, 0, &path, &error)) {
+	if (!nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NM_CONNECTION (connection),
+	                                         priv->path,
+	                                         &path,
+	                                         &error)) {
 		callback (connection, error, user_data);
 		g_clear_error (&error);
 		return;
diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/plugin.c b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/plugin.c
index b72ec10518..ba56467d7b 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/plugin.c
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/plugin.c
@@ -73,31 +73,21 @@ static NMSettingsConnection *
 _internal_new_connection (SCPluginKeyfile *self,
                           const char *full_path,
                           NMConnection *source,
-                          const char **out_cid,
                           GError **error)
 {
 	SCPluginKeyfilePrivate *priv = SC_PLUGIN_KEYFILE_GET_PRIVATE (self);
-	const char *cid, *uuid;
 	NMKeyfileConnection *connection;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (full_path != NULL, NULL);
 
 	connection = nm_keyfile_connection_new (full_path, source, error);
-	if (!connection)
-		return NULL;
+	if (connection) {
+		g_hash_table_insert (priv->hash,
+		                     (gpointer) nm_keyfile_connection_get_path (connection),
+		                     connection);
+	}
 
-	cid = nm_connection_get_id (NM_CONNECTION (connection));
-	g_assert (cid);
-	uuid = nm_connection_get_uuid (NM_CONNECTION (connection));
-	g_assert (uuid);
-
-	g_hash_table_insert (priv->hash,
-	                     (gpointer) nm_keyfile_connection_get_path (connection),
-	                     connection);
-
-	if (out_cid)
-		*out_cid = cid;
-	return NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION (connection);
+	return (NMSettingsConnection *) connection;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -106,7 +96,7 @@ read_connections (NMSystemConfigInterface *config)
 	SCPluginKeyfile *self = SC_PLUGIN_KEYFILE (config);
 	GDir *dir;
 	GError *error = NULL;
-	const char *item, *cid;
+	const char *item;
 
 	dir = g_dir_open (KEYFILE_DIR, 0, &error);
 	if (!dir) {
@@ -128,9 +118,10 @@ read_connections (NMSystemConfigInterface *config)
 		full_path = g_build_filename (KEYFILE_DIR, item, NULL);
 		PLUGIN_PRINT (KEYFILE_PLUGIN_NAME, "parsing %s ... ", item);
 
-		connection = _internal_new_connection (self, full_path, NULL, &cid, &error);
+		connection = _internal_new_connection (self, full_path, NULL, &error);
 		if (connection) {
-			PLUGIN_PRINT (KEYFILE_PLUGIN_NAME, "    read connection '%s'", cid);
+			PLUGIN_PRINT (KEYFILE_PLUGIN_NAME, "    read connection '%s'",
+			              nm_connection_get_id (NM_CONNECTION (connection)));
 		} else {
 			PLUGIN_PRINT (KEYFILE_PLUGIN_NAME, "    error: %s",
 				          (error && error->message) ? error->message : "(unknown)");
@@ -408,8 +399,8 @@ add_connection (NMSystemConfigInterface *config,
 	char *path = NULL;
 
 	/* Write it out first, then add the connection to our internal list */
-	if (nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, KEYFILE_DIR, 0, 0, &path, error)) {
-		added = _internal_new_connection (self, path, connection, NULL, error);
+	if (nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, NULL, &path, error)) {
+		added = _internal_new_connection (self, path, connection, error);
 		g_free (path);
 	}
 	return added;
diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/tests/test-keyfile.c b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/tests/test-keyfile.c
index e79c8a3307..1aed7a0e68 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/tests/test-keyfile.c
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/tests/test-keyfile.c
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ test_write_wired_connection (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ test_write_ip6_wired_connection (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
@@ -1271,7 +1271,7 @@ test_write_wireless_connection (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
@@ -1401,7 +1401,7 @@ test_write_string_ssid (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ test_write_bt_dun_connection (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
@@ -1961,7 +1961,7 @@ test_write_gsm_connection (void)
 	/* Write out the connection */
 	owner_uid = geteuid ();
 	owner_grp = getegid ();
-	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
+	success = nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (connection, TEST_SCRATCH_DIR, owner_uid, owner_grp, &testfile, &error);
 	ASSERT (success == TRUE,
 			"connection-write", "failed to allocate write keyfile: %s",
 			error ? error->message : "(none)");
diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.c b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.c
index 2fcd306e0c..87772cdf8e 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.c
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.c
@@ -687,13 +687,14 @@ _writer_id_to_filename (const char *id)
 	return filename;
 }
 
-gboolean
-nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NMConnection *connection,
-                                    const char *keyfile_dir,
-                                    uid_t owner_uid,
-                                    pid_t owner_grp,
-                                    char **out_path,
-                                    GError **error)
+static gboolean
+_internal_write_connection (NMConnection *connection,
+                            const char *keyfile_dir,
+                            uid_t owner_uid,
+                            pid_t owner_grp,
+                            const char *existing_path,
+                            char **out_path,
+                            GError **error)
 {
 	GKeyFile *key_file;
 	char *data;
@@ -722,6 +723,8 @@ nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NMConnection *connection,
 	path = g_build_filename (keyfile_dir, filename, NULL);
 	g_free (filename);
 
+	/* If the file already exists */
+
 	g_file_set_contents (path, data, len, error);
 	if (chown (path, owner_uid, owner_grp) < 0) {
 		g_set_error (error, KEYFILE_PLUGIN_ERROR, 0,
@@ -747,3 +750,34 @@ out:
 	g_key_file_free (key_file);
 	return success;
 }
+
+gboolean
+nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NMConnection *connection,
+                                    const char *existing_path,
+                                    char **out_path,
+                                    GError **error)
+{
+	return _internal_write_connection (connection,
+	                                   KEYFILE_DIR,
+	                                   0, 0,
+	                                   existing_path,
+	                                   out_path,
+	                                   error);
+}
+
+gboolean
+nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (NMConnection *connection,
+                                         const char *keyfile_dir,
+                                         uid_t owner_uid,
+                                         pid_t owner_grp,
+                                         char **out_path,
+                                         GError **error)
+{
+	return _internal_write_connection (connection,
+	                                   keyfile_dir,
+	                                   owner_uid, owner_grp,
+	                                   NULL,
+	                                   out_path,
+	                                   error);
+}
+
diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.h b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.h
index 730a9b3bda..a602f2f4a3 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.h
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/writer.h
@@ -27,10 +27,15 @@
 #include <nm-connection.h>
 
 gboolean nm_keyfile_plugin_write_connection (NMConnection *connection,
-                                             const char *keyfile_dir,
-                                             uid_t owner_uid,
-                                             pid_t owner_grp,
+                                             const char *existing_path,
                                              char **out_path,
                                              GError **error);
 
+gboolean nm_keyfile_plugin_write_test_connection (NMConnection *connection,
+                                                  const char *keyfile_dir,
+                                                  uid_t owner_uid,
+                                                  pid_t owner_grp,
+                                                  char **out_path,
+                                                  GError **error);
+
 #endif /* _KEYFILE_PLUGIN_WRITER_H */