diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
index b60b7213e..1e6b6ecc7 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ struct rfcomm {
 	struct spa_source source;
 	struct impl *backend;
 	struct spa_bt_device *device;
+	struct spa_hook device_listener;
 	struct spa_bt_transport *transport;
 	struct spa_hook transport_listener;
 	enum spa_bt_profile profile;
@@ -174,8 +175,18 @@ static void rfcomm_free(struct rfcomm *rfcomm)
 		spa_hook_remove(&rfcomm->transport_listener);
 		spa_bt_transport_free(rfcomm->transport);
 	}
-	if (rfcomm->device)
+	if (rfcomm->device) {
 		spa_bt_device_report_battery_level(rfcomm->device, SPA_BT_NO_BATTERY);
+		spa_hook_remove(&rfcomm->device_listener);
+		rfcomm->device = NULL;
+	}
+	if (rfcomm->source.fd >= 0) {
+		if (rfcomm->source.loop)
+			spa_loop_remove_source(rfcomm->source.loop, &rfcomm->source);
+		shutdown(rfcomm->source.fd, SHUT_RDWR);
+		close (rfcomm->source.fd);
+		rfcomm->source.fd = -1;
+	}
 	free(rfcomm);
 }
 
@@ -664,8 +675,6 @@ static void rfcomm_event(struct spa_source *source)
 
 	if (source->rmask & (SPA_IO_HUP | SPA_IO_ERR)) {
 		spa_log_info(backend->log, NAME": lost RFCOMM connection.");
-		if (source->loop)
-			spa_loop_remove_source(source->loop, source);
 		rfcomm_free(rfcomm);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -1157,6 +1166,17 @@ static int backend_native_ensure_codec(void *data, struct spa_bt_device *device,
 #endif
 }
 
+static void device_destroy(void *data)
+{
+	struct rfcomm *rfcomm = data;
+	rfcomm_free(rfcomm);
+}
+
+static const struct spa_bt_device_events device_events = {
+	SPA_VERSION_BT_DEVICE_EVENTS,
+	.destroy = device_destroy,
+};
+
 static DBusHandlerResult profile_new_connection(DBusConnection *conn, DBusMessage *m, void *userdata)
 {
 	struct impl *backend = userdata;
@@ -1221,6 +1241,10 @@ static DBusHandlerResult profile_new_connection(DBusConnection *conn, DBusMessag
 	rfcomm->source.mask = SPA_IO_IN;
 	rfcomm->source.rmask = 0;
 
+	spa_bt_device_add_listener(d, &rfcomm->device_listener, &device_events, rfcomm);
+	spa_loop_add_source(backend->main_loop, &rfcomm->source);
+	spa_list_append(&backend->rfcomm_list, &rfcomm->link);
+
 	if (d->settings && (str = spa_dict_lookup(d->settings, "bluez5.msbc-support")))
 		rfcomm->msbc_support_enabled_in_config = strcmp(str, "true") == 0 || atoi(str) == 1;
 	else
@@ -1270,9 +1294,6 @@ static DBusHandlerResult profile_new_connection(DBusConnection *conn, DBusMessag
 		goto fail_need_memory;
 	dbus_message_unref(r);
 
-	spa_loop_add_source(backend->main_loop, &rfcomm->source);
-	spa_list_append(&backend->rfcomm_list, &rfcomm->link);
-
 	return DBUS_HANDLER_RESULT_HANDLED;
 
 fail_need_memory:
@@ -1326,11 +1347,6 @@ static DBusHandlerResult profile_request_disconnection(DBusConnection *conn, DBu
 
 	spa_list_for_each_safe(rfcomm, rfcomm_tmp, &backend->rfcomm_list, link) {
 		if (rfcomm->device == d && rfcomm->profile == profile) {
-			if (rfcomm->source.loop)
-				spa_loop_remove_source(rfcomm->source.loop, &rfcomm->source);
-			shutdown(rfcomm->source.fd, SHUT_RDWR);
-			close (rfcomm->source.fd);
-			rfcomm->source.fd = -1;
 			rfcomm_free(rfcomm);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
index c9bc6c980..0253b9d4e 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
@@ -675,6 +675,8 @@ static void device_free(struct spa_bt_device *device)
 
 	spa_log_debug(monitor->log, "%p", device);
 
+	spa_bt_device_emit_destroy(device);
+
 	battery_remove(device);
 	device_stop_timer(device);
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/defs.h b/spa/plugins/bluez5/defs.h
index 2b45e1828..2fa056b13 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/defs.h
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/defs.h
@@ -386,6 +386,9 @@ struct spa_bt_device_events {
 
 	/** Profile configuration changed */
 	void (*profiles_changed) (void *data, uint32_t prev_profiles, uint32_t prev_connected);
+
+	/** Device freed */
+	void (*destroy) (void *data);
 };
 
 struct spa_bt_device {
@@ -446,6 +449,7 @@ int spa_bt_device_report_battery_level(struct spa_bt_device *device, uint8_t per
 #define spa_bt_device_emit_connected(d,...)	        spa_bt_device_emit(d, connected, 0, __VA_ARGS__)
 #define spa_bt_device_emit_codec_switched(d,...)	spa_bt_device_emit(d, codec_switched, 0, __VA_ARGS__)
 #define spa_bt_device_emit_profiles_changed(d,...)	spa_bt_device_emit(d, profiles_changed, 0, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define spa_bt_device_emit_destroy(d)			spa_bt_device_emit(d, destroy, 0)
 #define spa_bt_device_add_listener(d,listener,events,data)           \
 	spa_hook_list_append(&(d)->listener_list, listener, events, data)