diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
index 2557e7a982..84bb172aa1 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -9512,6 +9512,17 @@ nm_device_check_slave_connection_compatible(NMDevice *self, NMConnection *slave)
     return nm_streq(connection_type, slave_type);
 }
 
+gboolean
+nm_device_can_be_parent(NMDevice *self)
+{
+    NMDeviceType device_type = nm_device_get_device_type(self);
+
+    if ((device_type == NM_DEVICE_TYPE_OVS_BRIDGE) || (device_type == NM_DEVICE_TYPE_OVS_PORT))
+        return FALSE;
+    else
+        return TRUE;
+}
+
 /**
  * nm_device_can_assume_connections:
  * @self: #NMDevice instance
diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.h b/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
index 2c92122d29..ffe6b1af99 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.h
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ gboolean nm_device_check_connection_compatible(NMDevice     *device,
                                                GError      **error);
 
 gboolean nm_device_check_slave_connection_compatible(NMDevice *device, NMConnection *connection);
+gboolean nm_device_can_be_parent(NMDevice *device);
 
 gboolean nm_device_can_assume_connections(NMDevice *self);
 gboolean nm_device_unmanage_on_quit(NMDevice *self);
diff --git a/src/core/nm-manager.c b/src/core/nm-manager.c
index a8176546fc..f607569d88 100644
--- a/src/core/nm-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/nm-manager.c
@@ -1914,7 +1914,8 @@ find_device_by_ip_iface(NMManager *self, const char *iface)
  * is given, this function will only return master devices and will ensure
  * @slave, when activated, can be a slave of the returned master device.  If
  * @connection is given, this function will only consider devices that are
- * compatible with @connection.
+ * compatible with @connection. If @child is given, this function will only
+ * return parent device.
  *
  * Returns: the matching #NMDevice
  */
@@ -1922,7 +1923,8 @@ static NMDevice *
 find_device_by_iface(NMManager    *self,
                      const char   *iface,
                      NMConnection *connection,
-                     NMConnection *slave)
+                     NMConnection *slave,
+                     NMConnection *child)
 {
     NMManagerPrivate *priv     = NM_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE(self);
     NMDevice         *fallback = NULL;
@@ -1941,6 +1943,8 @@ find_device_by_iface(NMManager    *self,
             if (!nm_device_check_slave_connection_compatible(candidate, slave))
                 continue;
         }
+        if (child && !nm_device_can_be_parent(candidate))
+            continue;
 
         if (nm_device_is_real(candidate))
             return candidate;
@@ -2405,7 +2409,7 @@ find_parent_device_for_connection(NMManager       *self,
     NM_SET_OUT(out_parent_spec, parent_name);
 
     /* Try as an interface name of a parent device */
-    parent = find_device_by_iface(self, parent_name, NULL, NULL);
+    parent = find_device_by_iface(self, parent_name, NULL, NULL, connection);
     if (parent)
         return parent;
 
@@ -5003,7 +5007,7 @@ find_master(NMManager             *self,
     }
 
     if (!master_connection) {
-        master_device = find_device_by_iface(self, master, NULL, connection);
+        master_device = find_device_by_iface(self, master, NULL, connection, NULL);
         if (!master_device) {
             g_set_error(error,
                         NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
@@ -6445,7 +6449,7 @@ validate_activation_request(NMManager             *self,
             if (!iface)
                 return NULL;
 
-            device = find_device_by_iface(self, iface, connection, NULL);
+            device = find_device_by_iface(self, iface, connection, NULL, NULL);
             if (!device) {
                 g_set_error_literal(error,
                                     NM_MANAGER_ERROR,