diff --git a/src/nm-active-connection.c b/src/nm-active-connection.c
index 17fb82e50..625c19e83 100644
--- a/src/nm-active-connection.c
+++ b/src/nm-active-connection.c
@@ -156,6 +156,20 @@ _settings_connection_updated (NMSettingsConnection *connection,
 	 * settings-connection. */
 }
 
+static void
+_settings_connection_removed (NMSettingsConnection *connection,
+                              gpointer user_data)
+{
+	NMActiveConnection *self = user_data;
+
+	/* Our settings connection is about to drop off. The next active connection
+	 * cleanup is going to tear us down (at least until we grow the capability to
+	 * re-link; in that case we'd just clean the references to the old connection here).
+	 * Let's remove ourselves from the bus so that we're not exposed with a dangling
+	 * reference to the setting connection once it's gone. */
+	nm_exported_object_unexport (NM_EXPORTED_OBJECT (self));
+}
+
 static void
 _set_settings_connection (NMActiveConnection *self, NMSettingsConnection *connection)
 {
@@ -170,6 +184,7 @@ _set_settings_connection (NMActiveConnection *self, NMSettingsConnection *connec
 	if (connection) {
 		priv->settings_connection = g_object_ref (connection);
 		g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UPDATED_INTERNAL, (GCallback) _settings_connection_updated, self);
+		g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_REMOVED, (GCallback) _settings_connection_removed, self);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/settings/nm-settings.c b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
index 6a920d5cf..35790a126 100644
--- a/src/settings/nm-settings.c
+++ b/src/settings/nm-settings.c
@@ -1112,8 +1112,10 @@ claim_connection (NMSettings *self, NMSettingsConnection *connection)
 	openconnect_migrate_hack (NM_CONNECTION (connection));
 
 	g_object_ref (self);
-	g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_REMOVED,
-	                  G_CALLBACK (connection_removed), self);
+	/* This one unexports the connection, it needs to run late to give the active
+	 * connection a chance to deal with its reference to this settings connection. */
+	g_signal_connect_after (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_REMOVED,
+	                        G_CALLBACK (connection_removed), self);
 	g_signal_connect (connection, NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_UPDATED_INTERNAL,
 	                  G_CALLBACK (connection_updated), self);
 	g_signal_connect (connection, "notify::" NM_SETTINGS_CONNECTION_VISIBLE,