diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 4bfcc82f82..91510aefe2 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -4026,6 +4026,7 @@ _set_fcn_team_link_watchers (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 	const char *const*iter;
 	NMTeamLinkWatcher *watcher;
 
+	nm_setting_team_clear_link_watchers (NM_SETTING_TEAM (setting));
 	strv = nm_utils_strsplit_set (value, ",");
 	for (iter = strv; strv && *iter; iter++) {
 		watcher = _parse_team_link_watcher (*iter, error);
@@ -4098,6 +4099,7 @@ _set_fcn_team_port_link_watchers (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 	const char *const*iter;
 	NMTeamLinkWatcher *watcher;
 
+	nm_setting_team_port_clear_link_watchers (NM_SETTING_TEAM_PORT (setting));
 	strv = nm_utils_strsplit_set (value, ",");
 	for (iter = strv; strv && *iter; iter++) {
 		watcher = _parse_team_link_watcher (*iter, error);