diff --git a/src/nm-netns.c b/src/nm-netns.c
index ce32ac6b6..e7aca6f66 100644
--- a/src/nm-netns.c
+++ b/src/nm-netns.c
@@ -126,7 +126,11 @@ constructed (GObject *object)
 
 	priv->platform_netns = nm_platform_netns_get (priv->platform);
 
-	priv->rules_manager = nmp_rules_manager_new (priv->platform, TRUE);
+	priv->rules_manager = nmp_rules_manager_new (priv->platform);
+	nmp_rules_manager_track_default (priv->rules_manager,
+	                                 AF_UNSPEC,
+	                                 0,
+	                                 nm_netns_parent_class /* static dummy user-tag */);
 
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (nm_netns_parent_class)->constructed (object);
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.c b/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.c
index 9e3435507..54a70d956 100644
--- a/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.c
+++ b/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ struct _NMPRulesManager {
 	GHashTable *by_user_tag;
 	GHashTable *by_data;
 	guint ref_count;
-	bool track_default:1;
 };
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
@@ -622,16 +621,12 @@ _rules_init (NMPRulesManager *self)
 	self->by_data      = g_hash_table_new_full (_rules_data_hash,      _rules_data_equal,      NULL, _rules_data_destroy);
 	self->by_obj       = g_hash_table_new_full (_rules_obj_hash,       _rules_obj_equal,       NULL, _rules_obj_destroy);
 	self->by_user_tag  = g_hash_table_new_full (_rules_user_tag_hash,  _rules_user_tag_equal,  NULL, _rules_user_tag_destroy);
-
-	if (self->track_default)
-		nmp_rules_manager_track_default (self, AF_UNSPEC, 0, &self->by_data);
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 NMPRulesManager *
-nmp_rules_manager_new (NMPlatform *platform,
-                       gboolean track_default)
+nmp_rules_manager_new (NMPlatform *platform)
 {
 	NMPRulesManager *self;
 
@@ -641,7 +636,6 @@ nmp_rules_manager_new (NMPlatform *platform,
 	*self = (NMPRulesManager) {
 		.ref_count     = 1,
 		.platform      = g_object_ref (platform),
-		.track_default = track_default,
 	};
 	return self;
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.h b/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.h
index a1e554354..042f31fca 100644
--- a/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.h
+++ b/src/platform/nmp-rules-manager.h
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@
 
 typedef struct _NMPRulesManager NMPRulesManager;
 
-NMPRulesManager *nmp_rules_manager_new (NMPlatform *platform,
-                                        gboolean track_default);
+NMPRulesManager *nmp_rules_manager_new (NMPlatform *platform);
 
 void nmp_rules_manager_ref (NMPRulesManager *self);
 void nmp_rules_manager_unref (NMPRulesManager *self);
diff --git a/src/platform/tests/test-route.c b/src/platform/tests/test-route.c
index ae3367779..e6ffe1ae0 100644
--- a/src/platform/tests/test-route.c
+++ b/src/platform/tests/test-route.c
@@ -1511,7 +1511,7 @@ again:
 
 	if (TEST_SYNC) {
 		gs_unref_hashtable GHashTable *unique_priorities = g_hash_table_new (NULL, NULL);
-		nm_auto_unref_rules_manager NMPRulesManager *rules_manager = nmp_rules_manager_new (platform, FALSE);
+		nm_auto_unref_rules_manager NMPRulesManager *rules_manager = nmp_rules_manager_new (platform);
 		gs_unref_ptrarray GPtrArray *objs_sync = NULL;
 		gconstpointer USER_TAG_1 = &platform;
 		gconstpointer USER_TAG_2 = &unique_priorities;