diff --git a/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.c b/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.c
index 158d9b502..290387399 100644
--- a/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.c
+++ b/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.c
@@ -534,7 +534,11 @@ static void nmwa_menu_item_activate (GtkMenuItem *item, gpointer user_data)
 		dev = nmwa_get_device_for_nm_device (applet, tag);
 
 	if (dev)
+	{
+		applet->applet_state = APPLET_STATE_WIRELESS_CONNECTING;
+		applet->forcing_device = TRUE;
 		nmwa_dbus_set_device (applet->connection, dev, net);
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.h b/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.h
index 695db12ed..47f0078a8 100644
--- a/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.h
+++ b/panel-applet/NMWirelessApplet.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ typedef struct
         /* Data model elements */
 	GMutex			*data_mutex;
 	AppletState		 applet_state;
+	gboolean			 forcing_device;
 	GSList			*device_list;
 	NetworkDevice		*active_device;
 	char				*nm_status;