diff --git a/src/NetworkManagerPolicy.c b/src/NetworkManagerPolicy.c
index 6a2409ae8..cd10b493f 100644
--- a/src/NetworkManagerPolicy.c
+++ b/src/NetworkManagerPolicy.c
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ schedule_activate_check (NMPolicy *policy, NMDevice *device, guint delay_seconds
 	if (state < NM_DEVICE_STATE_DISCONNECTED)
 		return;
 
-	if (!nm_device_can_activate (device) || !nm_device_autoconnect_allowed (device))
+	if (!nm_device_autoconnect_allowed (device))
 		return;
 
 	for (iter = policy->pending_activation_checks; iter; iter = g_slist_next (iter)) {
diff --git a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
index 2d2e8fbbc..1282ff4c7 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-ethernet.c
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ real_can_interrupt_activation (NMDevice *dev)
 }
 
 static gboolean
-real_can_activate (NMDevice *dev)
+real_is_available (NMDevice *dev)
 {
 	NMDeviceEthernet *self = NM_DEVICE_ETHERNET (dev);
 
@@ -1734,7 +1734,7 @@ nm_device_ethernet_class_init (NMDeviceEthernetClass *klass)
 	parent_class->can_interrupt_activation = real_can_interrupt_activation;
 	parent_class->update_hw_address = real_update_hw_address;
 	parent_class->get_best_auto_connection = real_get_best_auto_connection;
-	parent_class->can_activate = real_can_activate;
+	parent_class->is_available = real_is_available;
 	parent_class->connection_secrets_updated = real_connection_secrets_updated;
 	parent_class->check_connection_compatible = real_check_connection_compatible;
 
diff --git a/src/nm-device-wifi.c b/src/nm-device-wifi.c
index b4cdc4448..f2c9350fd 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-wifi.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-wifi.c
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ real_check_connection_compatible (NMDevice *device,
 }
 
 static gboolean
-real_can_activate (NMDevice *dev)
+real_is_available (NMDevice *dev)
 {
 	NMDeviceWifi *self = NM_DEVICE_WIFI (dev);
 	NMDeviceWifiPrivate *priv = NM_DEVICE_WIFI_GET_PRIVATE (self);
@@ -2253,7 +2253,7 @@ supplicant_iface_state_cb_handler (gpointer user_data)
 		 * available, transition to DISCONNECTED.
 		 */
 		if (   (nm_device_get_state (NM_DEVICE (self)) == NM_DEVICE_STATE_UNAVAILABLE)
-		    && nm_device_can_activate (NM_DEVICE (self))) {
+		    && nm_device_is_available (NM_DEVICE (self))) {
 			nm_device_state_changed (NM_DEVICE (self), NM_DEVICE_STATE_DISCONNECTED,
 			                         NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_SUPPLICANT_AVAILABLE);
 		}
@@ -3533,7 +3533,7 @@ nm_device_wifi_class_init (NMDeviceWifiClass *klass)
 	parent_class->take_down = real_take_down;
 	parent_class->update_hw_address = real_update_hw_address;
 	parent_class->get_best_auto_connection = real_get_best_auto_connection;
-	parent_class->can_activate = real_can_activate;
+	parent_class->is_available = real_is_available;
 	parent_class->connection_secrets_updated = real_connection_secrets_updated;
 	parent_class->check_connection_compatible = real_check_connection_compatible;
 
diff --git a/src/nm-device.c b/src/nm-device.c
index d5a1b55c1..ec08f5810 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/nm-device.c
@@ -390,10 +390,10 @@ nm_device_get_act_request (NMDevice *self)
 
 
 gboolean
-nm_device_can_activate (NMDevice *self)
+nm_device_is_available (NMDevice *self)
 {
-	if (NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->can_activate)
-		return NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->can_activate (self);
+	if (NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->is_available)
+		return NM_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (self)->is_available (self);
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -3077,7 +3077,7 @@ nm_device_state_changed (NMDevice *device,
 		 * we can't change states again from the state handler for a variety of
 		 * reasons.
 		 */
-		if (nm_device_can_activate (device))
+		if (nm_device_is_available (device))
 			priv->unavailable_to_disconnected_id = g_idle_add (unavailable_to_disconnected, device);
 		break;
 	case NM_DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVATED:
diff --git a/src/nm-device.h b/src/nm-device.h
index d06375cc6..c8f67dcc7 100644
--- a/src/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/nm-device.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	guint32		(* get_type_capabilities)	(NMDevice *self);
 	guint32		(* get_generic_capabilities)	(NMDevice *self);
 
-	gboolean	(* can_activate) (NMDevice *self);
+	gboolean	(* is_available) (NMDevice *self);
 
 	NMConnection * (* get_best_auto_connection) (NMDevice *self,
 	                                             GSList *connections,
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ void *		nm_device_get_system_config_data	(NMDevice *dev);
 
 NMActRequest *	nm_device_get_act_request	(NMDevice *dev);
 
-gboolean		nm_device_can_activate	(NMDevice *dev);
+gboolean		nm_device_is_available (NMDevice *dev);
 
 NMConnection * nm_device_get_best_auto_connection (NMDevice *dev,
                                                    GSList *connections,