diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 29ff3741c..9aeef9a87 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -11984,7 +11984,7 @@ nm_device_cleanup (NMDevice *self, NMDeviceStateReason reason, CleanupType clean
 	if (NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->deactivate)
 		NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->deactivate (self);
 
-	if (cleanup_type != CLEANUP_TYPE_KEEP) {
+	if (cleanup_type == CLEANUP_TYPE_DECONFIGURE) {
 		/* master: release slaves */
 		nm_device_master_release_slaves (self);
 
@@ -12378,7 +12378,8 @@ _set_state_full (NMDevice *self,
 	/* Cache the activation request for the dispatcher */
 	req = nm_g_object_ref (priv->act_request);
 
-	if (   state > NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNMANAGED
+	if (   state >  NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNMANAGED
+	    && state <= NM_DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVATED
 	    && nm_device_state_reason_check (reason) == NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_NOW_MANAGED
 	    && NM_IN_SET_TYPED (NMDeviceSysIfaceState,
 	                        priv->sys_iface_state,
@@ -13845,8 +13846,10 @@ set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 			managed = g_value_get_boolean (value);
 			if (managed)
 				reason = NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_CONNECTION_ASSUMED;
-			else
+			else {
 				reason = NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_REMOVED;
+				nm_device_sys_iface_state_set (self, NM_DEVICE_SYS_IFACE_STATE_REMOVED);
+			}
 			nm_device_set_unmanaged_by_flags (self,
 			                                  NM_UNMANAGED_USER_EXPLICIT,
 			                                  !managed,
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.h b/src/devices/nm-device.h
index f70a3e3ef..be328eb6b 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ typedef enum {
 	NM_DEVICE_SYS_IFACE_STATE_EXTERNAL,
 	NM_DEVICE_SYS_IFACE_STATE_ASSUME,
 	NM_DEVICE_SYS_IFACE_STATE_MANAGED,
+
+	/* the REMOVED state applies when the device is manually set to unmanaged
+	 * or the link was externally removed. In both cases, we move the device
+	 * to UNMANAGED state, without touching the link -- be it, because the link
+	 * is already gone or because we want to release it (give it up).
+	 */
 	NM_DEVICE_SYS_IFACE_STATE_REMOVED,
 } NMDeviceSysIfaceState;