diff --git a/ncm-network/src/main/pan/components/network/core-schema.pan b/ncm-network/src/main/pan/components/network/core-schema.pan
index 47e4773f6e..5ce4940bb2 100644
--- a/ncm-network/src/main/pan/components/network/core-schema.pan
+++ b/ncm-network/src/main/pan/components/network/core-schema.pan
@@ -443,6 +443,8 @@ type structure_network = {
     "allow_nm" ? boolean
     @{let NetworkManager manage the dns (only for nmstate)}
     "nm_manage_dns" : boolean = false
+    @{let ncm-network cleanup inactive connections (only for nmstate)}
+    "nm_clean_inactive_conn" : boolean = true
     "primary_ip" ? string
     "routers" ? structure_router{}
     "ipv6" ? structure_ipv6
diff --git a/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm b/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
index 029877b509..7b402bbdc4 100644
--- a/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
+++ b/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
@@ -480,21 +480,19 @@ sub is_active_interface
     return $found;
 }
 
-# check for existing connections, will clear the default connections created by 'NM with Wired connecton x'
+# check for existing connections, any connections which are not active.
 # good to have.
-sub clear_default_nm_connections
+sub clear_inactive_nm_connections
 {
     my ($self) = @_;
-    # NM creates auto connections with Wired connection x
-    # Delete all connections with name 'Wired connection', everything ncm-network creates will have connection name set to interface name.
-    my $output = $self->runrun([$NMCLI_CMD, "-t", "-f", "name", "conn"]);
-    my @existing_conn = split('\n', $output);
-    my %current_conn;
-    foreach  my $conn_name  (@existing_conn) {
-        $conn_name =~ s/\s+$//;
-        if ($conn_name =~ /Wired connection/){
-            $self->verbose("Clearing default connections created automatically by NetworkManager [ $conn_name ]");
-            $output = $self->runrun([$NMCLI_CMD,"conn", "delete", $conn_name]);
+    # clean any inactive connections
+    my $output = $self->runrun([$NMCLI_CMD, "-t", "-f", "uuid,device,name,state,active", "conn"]);
+    my @all_conn = split('\n', $output);
+    foreach  my $conn  (@all_conn) {
+        my ($uuid,$device,$name,$state,$active) = split(':', $conn);
+        if ($active eq 'no') {
+           $self->verbose("Clearing inactive connection for [ uuid=$uuid, name=$name, state=$state, active=$active ]");
+           $output = $self->runrun([$NMCLI_CMD,"conn", "delete", $uuid]);
             $self->verbose($output);
         }
     }
@@ -510,9 +508,7 @@ sub nmstate_apply
 
     if (@ifaces) {
         $self->info("Applying changes using $NMSTATECTL ", join(', ', @ifaces));
-        my @cmds;
-        # clear any connections created by NM with 'Wired connection x' to start fresh.
-        $self->clear_default_nm_connections();
+        my @cmds;     
         foreach my $iface (@ifaces) {
             # apply config using nmstatectl
             my $ymlfile = $self->iface_filename($iface);
@@ -738,6 +734,14 @@ sub Configure
         }
     };
 
+    # cleanup dangling inactive connections after ncm network changes are applied.
+    # defaults to cleanup
+    my $clean_inactive_conn = $net->{nm_clean_inactive_conn} || 1;
+    if ($clean_inactive_conn and $stopstart) {
+        # cleanup any inactive connections
+        $self->clear_inactive_nm_connections;
+    }
+
     # test network
     my $ccm_tree = $config->getTree("/software/components/ccm");
     my $profile = $ccm_tree && $ccm_tree->{profile};
diff --git a/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t b/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
index a6dc97d926..813fd4a0db 100644
--- a/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
+++ b/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ ok(command_history_ok([
   '/usr/bin/nmcli connection',
   'service NetworkManager reload',
   'systemctl disable nmstate',
-  '/usr/bin/nmcli -t -f name conn',
+  '/usr/bin/nmcli -t -f uuid,device,name,state,active conn',
   '/usr/bin/nmstatectl apply /etc/nmstate/eth0.yml',
   '/usr/bin/nmstatectl apply /etc/nmstate/resolv.yml',
   'service NetworkManager reload',