diff --git a/src/main-utils.c b/src/main-utils.c
index 9e3aa7bd5..c84f1e4c1 100644
--- a/src/main-utils.c
+++ b/src/main-utils.c
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ nm_main_utils_ensure_rundir ()
 		exit (1);
 	}
 
+	/* NM_CONFIG_DEVICE_STATE_DIR is used to determine whether NM is restarted or not.
+	 * It is important to set NMConfigCmdLineOptions.first_start before creating
+	 * the directory. */
 	nm_assert (g_str_has_prefix (NM_CONFIG_DEVICE_STATE_DIR, NMRUNDIR"/"));
 	if (g_mkdir (NM_CONFIG_DEVICE_STATE_DIR, 0755) != 0) {
 		errsv = errno;
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 52f3200e7..52f0b7c8f 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -239,7 +239,11 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	main_loop = g_main_loop_new (NULL, FALSE);
 
-	config_cli = nm_config_cmd_line_options_new ();
+	/* we determine a first-start (contrary to a restart during the same boot)
+	 * based on the existence of NM_CONFIG_DEVICE_STATE_DIR directory. */
+	config_cli = nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (!g_file_test (NM_CONFIG_DEVICE_STATE_DIR,
+	                                                           G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR));
+
 	do_early_setup (&argc, &argv, config_cli);
 
 	if (global_opt.g_fatal_warnings)
@@ -356,7 +360,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	                                                            NM_CONFIG_GET_VALUE_STRIP | NM_CONFIG_GET_VALUE_NO_EMPTY),
 	                           nm_config_get_is_debug (config));
 
-	nm_log_info (LOGD_CORE, "NetworkManager (version " NM_DIST_VERSION ") is starting...");
+	nm_log_info (LOGD_CORE, "NetworkManager (version " NM_DIST_VERSION ") is starting... (%s)",
+	             nm_config_get_first_start (config) ? "for the first time" : "after a restart");
 
 	nm_log_info (LOGD_CORE, "Read config: %s", nm_config_data_get_config_description (nm_config_get_data (config)));
 	nm_config_data_log (nm_config_get_data (config), "CONFIG: ", "  ", NULL);
diff --git a/src/nm-config.c b/src/nm-config.c
index 7c3c88686..15d016a21 100644
--- a/src/nm-config.c
+++ b/src/nm-config.c
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ struct NMConfigCmdLineOptions {
 	 */
 	int connectivity_interval;
 	char *connectivity_response;
+
+	/* @first_start is not provided by command line. It is a convenient hack
+	 * to pass in an argument to NMConfig. This makes NMConfigCmdLineOptions a
+	 * misnomer.
+	 *
+	 * It is true, if NM is started the first time -- contrary to a restart
+	 * during the same boot up. That is determined by the content of the
+	 * /var/run/NetworManager state directory. */
+	bool first_start;
 };
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -291,6 +300,12 @@ nm_config_get_is_debug (NMConfig *config)
 	return NM_CONFIG_GET_PRIVATE (config)->cli.is_debug;
 }
 
+gboolean
+nm_config_get_first_start (NMConfig *config)
+{
+	return NM_CONFIG_GET_PRIVATE (config)->cli.first_start;
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 static char **
@@ -412,6 +427,7 @@ _nm_config_cmd_line_options_clear (NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli)
 	g_clear_pointer (&cli->connectivity_uri, g_free);
 	g_clear_pointer (&cli->connectivity_response, g_free);
 	cli->connectivity_interval = -1;
+	cli->first_start = FALSE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -434,14 +450,18 @@ _nm_config_cmd_line_options_copy (const NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli, NMConfigCmd
 	dst->connectivity_uri = g_strdup (cli->connectivity_uri);
 	dst->connectivity_response = g_strdup (cli->connectivity_response);
 	dst->connectivity_interval = cli->connectivity_interval;
+	dst->first_start = cli->first_start;
 }
 
 NMConfigCmdLineOptions *
-nm_config_cmd_line_options_new ()
+nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (gboolean first_start)
 {
 	NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli = g_new0 (NMConfigCmdLineOptions, 1);
 
 	_nm_config_cmd_line_options_clear (cli);
+
+	cli->first_start = first_start;
+
 	return cli;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nm-config.h b/src/nm-config.h
index 54d3a1ed9..283d6a1b4 100644
--- a/src/nm-config.h
+++ b/src/nm-config.h
@@ -125,13 +125,15 @@ const char *nm_config_get_log_domains (NMConfig *config);
 gboolean nm_config_get_configure_and_quit (NMConfig *config);
 gboolean nm_config_get_is_debug (NMConfig *config);
 
+gboolean nm_config_get_first_start (NMConfig *config);
+
 void nm_config_set_values (NMConfig *self,
                            GKeyFile *keyfile_intern_new,
                            gboolean allow_write,
                            gboolean force_rewrite);
 
 /* for main.c only */
-NMConfigCmdLineOptions *nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (void);
+NMConfigCmdLineOptions *nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (gboolean first_start);
 void                    nm_config_cmd_line_options_free (NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli);
 void                    nm_config_cmd_line_options_add_to_entries (NMConfigCmdLineOptions *cli,
                                                                    GOptionContext *opt_ctx);
diff --git a/src/tests/config/test-config.c b/src/tests/config/test-config.c
index dd2a58a06..edb5c1aa2 100644
--- a/src/tests/config/test-config.c
+++ b/src/tests/config/test-config.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ setup_config (GError **error, const char *config_file, const char *intern_config
 	argv = (char **)args->pdata;
 	argc = args->len;
 
-	cli = nm_config_cmd_line_options_new ();
+	cli = nm_config_cmd_line_options_new (FALSE);
 
 	context = g_option_context_new (NULL);
 	nm_config_cmd_line_options_add_to_entries (cli, context);