diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/DriverService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/DriverService.java
index 72a6040..e4432d1 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/DriverService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/DriverService.java
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@
     Set<Driver> getDrivers(Class<? extends Behaviour> withBehaviour);
 
     /**
-     * Returns the driver for the specified device. If the device carries
-     * {@code driver} annotation, its value is used to look-up the driver.
+     * Returns the driver for the specified device. If the network configuration
+     * for the specified device carries the {@code driver} property or if the
+     * device carries the {@code driver} annotation, they will be used to look-up
+     * the driver, in respective order.
      * Otherwise, the device manufacturer, hardware and software version
      * attributes are used to look-up the driver. First using their literal
      * values and if no driver is found, using ERE matching against the
diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/impl/DriverManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/impl/DriverManager.java
index 47d4f91..1dd8f7b 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/impl/DriverManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/driver/impl/DriverManager.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.AbstractProjectableModel;
 import org.onosproject.net.Device;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigService;
+import org.onosproject.net.config.basics.BasicDeviceConfig;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceService;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.Behaviour;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.DefaultDriverData;
@@ -66,6 +68,9 @@
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
     protected DeviceService deviceService;
 
+    @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
+    protected NetworkConfigService networkConfigService;
+
     @Activate
     protected void activate() {
         AbstractProjectableModel.setDriverService(null, this);
@@ -108,8 +113,28 @@
     public Driver getDriver(DeviceId deviceId) {
         checkPermission(DRIVER_READ);
 
+        // Primary source of driver configuration is the network config.
+        BasicDeviceConfig cfg = networkConfigService.getConfig(deviceId, BasicDeviceConfig.class);
+        Driver driver = lookupDriver(cfg != null ? cfg.driver() : null);
+        if (driver != null) {
+            return driver;
+        }
+
+        // Secondary source of the driver selection is driver annotation.
         Device device = nullIsNotFound(deviceService.getDevice(deviceId), NO_DEVICE);
-        String driverName = device.annotations().value(DRIVER);
+        driver = lookupDriver(device.annotations().value(DRIVER));
+        if (driver != null) {
+            return driver;
+        }
+
+        // Tertiary source of the driver selection is the primordial information
+        // obtained from the device.
+        return nullIsNotFound(getDriver(device.manufacturer(),
+                                        device.hwVersion(), device.swVersion()),
+                              NO_DRIVER);
+    }
+
+    private Driver lookupDriver(String driverName) {
         if (driverName != null) {
             try {
                 return getDriver(driverName);
@@ -117,10 +142,7 @@
                 log.warn("Specified driver {} not found, falling back.", driverName);
             }
         }
-
-        return nullIsNotFound(getDriver(device.manufacturer(),
-                                        device.hwVersion(), device.swVersion()),
-                              NO_DRIVER);
+        return null;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/meter/impl/MeterManagerTest.java b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/meter/impl/MeterManagerTest.java
index 8de0b5a..3bd5e9b 100644
--- a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/meter/impl/MeterManagerTest.java
+++ b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/meter/impl/MeterManagerTest.java
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onosproject.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.onosproject.net.behaviour.MeterQuery;
+import org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigService;
+import org.onosproject.net.config.NetworkConfigServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceService;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.AbstractHandlerBehaviour;
@@ -214,7 +216,7 @@
         deviceService = new TestDeviceService();
         //Init step for the driver registry and driver service.
         DriverRegistryManager driverRegistry = new DriverRegistryManager();
-        driverService = new TestDriverManager(driverRegistry, deviceService);
+        driverService = new TestDriverManager(driverRegistry, deviceService, new NetworkConfigServiceAdapter());
         driverRegistry.addDriver(new DefaultDriver("foo", ImmutableList.of(), "",
                 "", "",
                 ImmutableMap.of(MeterProgrammable.class,
@@ -519,9 +521,11 @@
     }
 
     private class TestDriverManager extends DriverManager {
-        TestDriverManager(DriverRegistry registry, DeviceService deviceService) {
+        TestDriverManager(DriverRegistry registry, DeviceService deviceService,
+                          NetworkConfigService networkConfigService) {
             this.registry = registry;
             this.deviceService = deviceService;
+            this.networkConfigService = networkConfigService;
             activate();
         }
     }
diff --git a/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImpl.java b/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImpl.java
index 5c46d8e..ab7009f 100644
--- a/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImpl.java
+++ b/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImpl.java
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Service;
 import org.onosproject.cfg.ComponentConfigService;
 import org.onosproject.core.CoreService;
-import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent;
-import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceListener;
-import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceService;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.DriverService;
 import org.onosproject.openflow.controller.DefaultOpenFlowPacketContext;
 import org.onosproject.openflow.controller.Dpid;
@@ -77,7 +74,6 @@
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
@@ -89,9 +85,6 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock;
 
 import static org.onlab.util.Tools.groupedThreads;
-import static org.onosproject.net.Device.Type.CONTROLLER;
-import static org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent.Type.DEVICE_REMOVED;
-import static org.onosproject.openflow.controller.Dpid.dpid;
 
 
 @Component(immediate = true)
@@ -114,10 +107,6 @@
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
     protected ComponentConfigService cfgService;
 
-    @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
-    protected DeviceService deviceService;
-
-
     @Property(name = "openflowPorts", value = DEFAULT_OFPORT,
             label = "Port numbers (comma separated) used by OpenFlow protocol; default is 6633,6653")
     private String openflowPorts = DEFAULT_OFPORT;
@@ -185,13 +174,11 @@
             ArrayListMultimap.create();
 
     private final Controller ctrl = new Controller();
-    private InternalDeviceListener listener = new InternalDeviceListener();
 
     @Activate
     public void activate(ComponentContext context) {
         coreService.registerApplication(APP_ID, this::cleanup);
         cfgService.registerProperties(getClass());
-        deviceService.addListener(listener);
         ctrl.setConfigParams(context.getProperties());
         ctrl.start(agent, driverService);
     }
@@ -208,7 +195,6 @@
 
     @Deactivate
     public void deactivate() {
-        deviceService.removeListener(listener);
         cleanup();
         cfgService.unregisterProperties(getClass(), false);
     }
@@ -607,47 +593,6 @@
         sw.setRole(role);
     }
 
-    class InternalDeviceListener implements DeviceListener {
-
-        @Override
-        public boolean isRelevant(DeviceEvent event) {
-            return event.subject().type() != CONTROLLER && event.type() == DEVICE_REMOVED
-                    && event.subject().id().uri().getScheme().equals(SCHEME);
-        }
-
-        @Override
-        public void event(DeviceEvent event) {
-            switch (event.type()) {
-            case DEVICE_ADDED:
-                break;
-            case DEVICE_AVAILABILITY_CHANGED:
-                break;
-            case DEVICE_REMOVED:
-                // Device administratively removed, disconnect
-                Optional.ofNullable(getSwitch(dpid(event.subject().id().uri())))
-                        .ifPresent(OpenFlowSwitch::disconnectSwitch);
-                break;
-            case DEVICE_SUSPENDED:
-                break;
-            case DEVICE_UPDATED:
-                break;
-            case PORT_ADDED:
-                break;
-            case PORT_REMOVED:
-                break;
-            case PORT_STATS_UPDATED:
-                break;
-            case PORT_UPDATED:
-                break;
-            default:
-                break;
-
-            }
-
-        }
-
-    }
-
     /**
      * Implementation of an OpenFlow Agent which is responsible for
      * keeping track of connected switches and the state in which
diff --git a/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/test/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImplTest.java b/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/test/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImplTest.java
index ca2d55f..f3f7769 100644
--- a/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/test/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImplTest.java
+++ b/protocols/openflow/ctl/src/test/java/org/onosproject/openflow/controller/impl/OpenFlowControllerImplTest.java
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.onosproject.cfg.ComponentConfigService;
 import org.onosproject.core.CoreService;
-import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.openflow.OpenflowSwitchDriverAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.openflow.controller.Dpid;
 import org.onosproject.openflow.controller.OpenFlowSwitch;
@@ -150,8 +149,6 @@
         controller.cfgService = mockConfigService;
         replay(mockConfigService);
 
-        controller.deviceService = new DeviceServiceAdapter();
-
         ComponentContext mockContext = EasyMock.createMock(ComponentContext.class);
         Dictionary<String, Object> properties = new Hashtable<>();
         properties.put("openflowPorts",
diff --git a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
index c9f09e5..cce89b0 100644
--- a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
@@ -52,9 +52,12 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DefaultPortDescription;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DefaultPortStatistics;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceDescription;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceListener;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProvider;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderRegistry;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderService;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceService;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.PortDescription;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.PortStatistics;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.Driver;
@@ -129,9 +132,11 @@
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
 import static com.google.common.base.Strings.isNullOrEmpty;
 import static org.onlab.util.Tools.get;
+import static org.onosproject.net.Device.Type.CONTROLLER;
 import static org.onosproject.net.DeviceId.deviceId;
 import static org.onosproject.net.Port.Type.COPPER;
 import static org.onosproject.net.Port.Type.FIBER;
+import static org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent.Type.DEVICE_REMOVED;
 import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OchPortHelper.ochPortDescription;
 import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OduCltPortHelper.oduCltPortDescription;
 import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OmsPortHelper.omsPortDescription;
@@ -426,11 +431,15 @@
     private static final Frequency FREQ4_4 = Frequency.ofGHz(4_400);
 
     private static final long C = 299792458; // speed of light in m/s
+    public static final String SCHEME = "of";
 
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
     protected DeviceProviderRegistry providerRegistry;
 
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
+    protected DeviceService deviceService;
+
+    @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
     protected OpenFlowController controller;
 
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
@@ -442,6 +451,7 @@
     private DeviceProviderService providerService;
 
     private final InternalDeviceProvider listener = new InternalDeviceProvider();
+    private final InternalDeviceListener deviceListener = new InternalDeviceListener();
 
     private static final String POLL_PROP_NAME = "portStatsPollFrequency";
     private static final int POLL_INTERVAL = 5;
@@ -463,13 +473,14 @@
      * Creates an OpenFlow device provider.
      */
     public OpenFlowDeviceProvider() {
-        super(new ProviderId("of", "org.onosproject.provider.openflow"));
+        super(new ProviderId(SCHEME, "org.onosproject.provider.openflow"));
     }
 
     @Activate
     public void activate(ComponentContext context) {
         cfgService.registerProperties(getClass());
         providerService = providerRegistry.register(this);
+        deviceService.addListener(deviceListener);
         controller.addListener(listener);
         controller.addEventListener(listener);
 
@@ -483,6 +494,7 @@
     public void deactivate(ComponentContext context) {
         cfgService.unregisterProperties(getClass(), false);
         listener.disable();
+        deviceService.removeListener(deviceListener);
         controller.removeListener(listener);
         providerRegistry.unregister(this);
         collectors.values().forEach(PortStatsCollector::stop);
@@ -1520,5 +1532,27 @@
         }
     }
 
+    class InternalDeviceListener implements DeviceListener {
 
+        @Override
+        public boolean isRelevant(DeviceEvent event) {
+            return event.subject().type() != CONTROLLER && event.type() == DEVICE_REMOVED
+                    && event.subject().id().uri().getScheme().equals(SCHEME);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void event(DeviceEvent event) {
+            DeviceId deviceId = event.subject().id();
+            Dpid dpid = dpid(deviceId.uri());
+            OpenFlowSwitch sw = controller.getSwitch(dpid);
+            if (sw != null) {
+                LOG.debug("Forcing disconnect for device {}", deviceId);
+                PortStatsCollector portStatsCollector = collectors.remove(dpid);
+                if (portStatsCollector != null) {
+                    portStatsCollector.stop();
+                }
+                sw.disconnectSwitch();
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/providers/openflow/device/src/test/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProviderTest.java b/providers/openflow/device/src/test/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProviderTest.java
index 8167b04..a0869c4 100644
--- a/providers/openflow/device/src/test/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProviderTest.java
+++ b/providers/openflow/device/src/test/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProviderTest.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProvider;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderRegistry;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceProviderService;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.PortDescription;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.PortStatistics;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.DriverServiceAdapter;
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@
         provider.controller = controller;
         provider.cfgService = new ComponentConfigAdapter();
         provider.driverService = new DriverServiceAdapter();
+        provider.deviceService = new DeviceServiceAdapter();
         controller.switchMap.put(DPID1, SW1);
         provider.activate(null);
         assertNotNull("provider should be registered", registry.provider);
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandlerBase.java b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandlerBase.java
index 21c33f2..f68f57d 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandlerBase.java
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/TopologyViewMessageHandlerBase.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.config.basics.BasicElementConfig;
 import org.onosproject.net.config.basics.BasicHostConfig;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceEvent;
+import org.onosproject.net.driver.Driver;
 import org.onosproject.net.host.HostEvent;
 import org.onosproject.net.link.LinkEvent;
 import org.onosproject.net.provider.ProviderId;
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Strings.isNullOrEmpty;
+import static org.onosproject.net.AnnotationKeys.DRIVER;
 import static org.onosproject.net.PortNumber.portNumber;
 import static org.onosproject.net.config.basics.BasicElementConfig.LOC_TYPE_GEO;
 import static org.onosproject.net.config.basics.BasicElementConfig.LOC_TYPE_GRID;
@@ -285,8 +287,10 @@
     protected ObjectNode deviceMessage(DeviceEvent event) {
         Device device = event.subject();
         String uiType = device.annotations().value(AnnotationKeys.UI_TYPE);
+        String driverName = device.annotations().value(DRIVER);
+        Driver driver = driverName == null ? null : services.driver().getDriver(driverName);
         String devType = uiType != null ? uiType :
-            services.driver().getDriver(device.id()).getProperty(AnnotationKeys.UI_TYPE);
+                (driver != null ? driver.getProperty(AnnotationKeys.UI_TYPE) : null);
         if (devType == null) {
             devType = device.type().toString().toLowerCase();
         }