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 b0f0f10..8fa5f11 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
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.core.ApplicationId;
 import org.onosproject.core.CoreService;
 import org.onosproject.incubator.net.config.basics.ConfigException;
+import org.onosproject.net.AnnotationKeys;
 import org.onosproject.net.DefaultAnnotations;
 import org.onosproject.net.Device;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
@@ -178,7 +179,9 @@
         ChassisId cid = new ChassisId();
         String ipAddress = nodeId.ip().toString();
         SparseAnnotations annotations = DefaultAnnotations.builder()
-                .set(IPADDRESS, ipAddress).build();
+                .set(IPADDRESS, ipAddress)
+                .set(AnnotationKeys.PROTOCOL, REST.toUpperCase())
+                .build();
         DeviceDescription deviceDescription = new DefaultDeviceDescription(
                 deviceId.uri(),
                 Device.Type.SWITCH,