diff --git a/protocols/rest/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/protocol/rest/DefaultRestSBDevice.java b/protocols/rest/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/protocol/rest/DefaultRestSBDevice.java
index fef7f3708e..10daabccb5 100644
--- a/protocols/rest/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/protocol/rest/DefaultRestSBDevice.java
+++ b/protocols/rest/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/protocol/rest/DefaultRestSBDevice.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.onlab.packet.IpAddress;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Strings.nullToEmpty;
+
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.Objects;
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@ public class DefaultRestSBDevice implements RestSBDevice {
 
     }
 
+    // FIXME revisit equality condition. Why urls are not included?
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object obj) {
         if (obj == this) {
@@ -199,15 +202,16 @@ public class DefaultRestSBDevice implements RestSBDevice {
         if (!(obj instanceof RestSBDevice)) {
             return false;
         }
-        RestSBDevice device = (RestSBDevice) obj;
-        return this.username.equals(device.username()) && this.ip.equals(device.ip()) &&
-                this.port == device.port();
+        RestSBDevice that = (RestSBDevice) obj;
+        return Objects.equals(this.ip, that.ip()) &&
+               this.port == that.port() &&
+               nullToEmpty(this.username).equals(nullToEmpty(that.username()));
 
     }
 
     @Override
     public int hashCode() {
-        return Objects.hash(ip, port);
+        return Objects.hash(ip, port, nullToEmpty(username));
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/providers/rest/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/rest/device/impl/RestDeviceProvider.java b/providers/rest/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/rest/device/impl/RestDeviceProvider.java
index 51f82ef7ae..3e97a3d1b4 100644
--- a/providers/rest/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/rest/device/impl/RestDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/rest/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/rest/device/impl/RestDeviceProvider.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Deactivate;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Reference;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.ReferenceCardinality;
 import org.onlab.packet.ChassisId;
+import org.onlab.util.SharedExecutors;
 import org.onlab.util.SharedScheduledExecutorService;
 import org.onlab.util.SharedScheduledExecutors;
 import org.onosproject.core.ApplicationId;
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static org.onlab.util.Tools.groupedThreads;
 import static org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigEvent.Type.CONFIG_ADDED;
+import static org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigEvent.Type.CONFIG_REMOVED;
 import static org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigEvent.Type.CONFIG_UPDATED;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
@@ -346,23 +348,27 @@ public class RestDeviceProvider extends AbstractProvider
                 .map(deviceId -> {
                     RestDeviceConfig config =
                             cfgService.getConfig(deviceId, RestDeviceConfig.class);
-                    return new DefaultRestSBDevice(config.ip(),
-                            config.port(),
-                            config.username(),
-                            config.password(),
-                            config.protocol(),
-                            config.url(),
-                            false,
-                            config.testUrl(),
-                            config.manufacturer(),
-                            config.hwVersion(),
-                            config.swVersion(),
-                            config.authenticationScheme(),
-                            config.token()
-                    );
+                    return toInactiveRestSBDevice(config);
                 }).collect(Collectors.toSet()));
     }
 
+    private RestSBDevice toInactiveRestSBDevice(RestDeviceConfig config) {
+        return new DefaultRestSBDevice(config.ip(),
+                config.port(),
+                config.username(),
+                config.password(),
+                config.protocol(),
+                config.url(),
+                false,
+                config.testUrl(),
+                config.manufacturer(),
+                config.hwVersion(),
+                config.swVersion(),
+                config.authenticationScheme(),
+                config.token()
+        );
+    }
+
     private void connectDevices(Set<RestSBDevice> devices) {
         //Precomputing the devices to be removed
         Set<RestSBDevice> toBeRemoved = new HashSet<>(controller.getDevices().values());
@@ -379,6 +385,16 @@ public class RestDeviceProvider extends AbstractProvider
         toBeRemoved.forEach(device -> deviceRemoved(device.deviceId()));
     }
 
+    private void connectDevice(RestSBDevice device) {
+        // TODO borrowed from above,
+        // not sure why setting it to inactive
+        device.setActive(false);
+        controller.addDevice(device);
+        if (testDeviceConnection(device)) {
+            deviceAdded(device);
+        }
+    }
+
     private ScheduledFuture schedulePolling() {
         return portStatisticsExecutor.scheduleAtFixedRate(this::executePortStatisticsUpdate,
                                                           DEFAULT_POLL_FREQUENCY_SECONDS / 2,
@@ -453,14 +469,24 @@ public class RestDeviceProvider extends AbstractProvider
     private class InternalNetworkConfigListener implements NetworkConfigListener {
         @Override
         public void event(NetworkConfigEvent event) {
-            executor.execute(RestDeviceProvider.this::createAndConnectDevices);
+            ExecutorService bg = SharedExecutors.getSingleThreadExecutor();
+            if (event.type() == CONFIG_REMOVED) {
+                DeviceId did = (DeviceId) event.subject();
+                bg.execute(() -> deviceRemoved(did));
+            } else {
+                // CONFIG_ADDED or CONFIG_UPDATED
+                RestDeviceConfig cfg = (RestDeviceConfig) event.config().get();
+                RestSBDevice restSBDevice = toInactiveRestSBDevice(cfg);
+                bg.execute(() -> connectDevice(restSBDevice));
+            }
         }
 
         @Override
         public boolean isRelevant(NetworkConfigEvent event) {
             return event.configClass().equals(RestDeviceConfig.class) &&
                     (event.type() == CONFIG_ADDED ||
-                            event.type() == CONFIG_UPDATED);
+                     event.type() == CONFIG_UPDATED ||
+                     event.type() == CONFIG_REMOVED);
         }
     }