diff --git a/src/device.c b/src/device.c
index dc362d9..2102f23 100644
--- a/src/device.c
+++ b/src/device.c
@@ -4602,6 +4602,8 @@ static void gatt_client_init(struct btd_device *device)
 	}
 
 	device->gatt_cache_used = !gatt_db_isempty(device->db);
+
+	btd_gatt_client_connected(device->client_dbus);
 }
 
 static void gatt_server_init(struct btd_device *device, struct gatt_db *db)
diff --git a/src/gatt-client.c b/src/gatt-client.c
index d8a3429..225aa42 100644
--- a/src/gatt-client.c
+++ b/src/gatt-client.c
@@ -1825,20 +1825,14 @@ fail:
 
 void btd_gatt_client_ready(struct btd_gatt_client *client)
 {
-	struct bt_gatt_client *gatt;
-
 	if (!client)
 		return;
 
-	gatt = btd_device_get_gatt_client(client->device);
-	if (!gatt) {
+	if (!client->gatt) {
 		error("GATT client not initialized");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	bt_gatt_client_unref(client->gatt);
-	client->gatt = bt_gatt_client_ref(gatt);
-
 	client->ready = true;
 
 	DBG("GATT client ready");
@@ -1852,6 +1846,22 @@ void btd_gatt_client_ready(struct btd_gatt_client *client)
 	queue_foreach(client->all_notify_clients, register_notify, client);
 }
 
+void btd_gatt_client_connected(struct btd_gatt_client *client)
+{
+	struct bt_gatt_client *gatt;
+
+	gatt = btd_device_get_gatt_client(client->device);
+	if (!gatt) {
+		error("GATT client not initialized");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	DBG("Device connected.");
+
+	bt_gatt_client_unref(client->gatt);
+	client->gatt = bt_gatt_client_ref(gatt);
+}
+
 void btd_gatt_client_service_added(struct btd_gatt_client *client,
 					struct gatt_db_attribute *attrib)
 {
diff --git a/src/gatt-client.h b/src/gatt-client.h
index a18db17..92a9255 100644
--- a/src/gatt-client.h
+++ b/src/gatt-client.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct btd_gatt_client *btd_gatt_client_new(struct btd_device *device);
 void btd_gatt_client_destroy(struct btd_gatt_client *client);
 
 void btd_gatt_client_ready(struct btd_gatt_client *client);
+void btd_gatt_client_connected(struct btd_gatt_client *client);
 void btd_gatt_client_service_added(struct btd_gatt_client *client,
 					struct gatt_db_attribute *attrib);
 void btd_gatt_client_service_removed(struct btd_gatt_client *client,