diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
index f304398..5401646 100644
--- a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net.device;
 
 import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
-import org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderService;
 
 import java.util.List;
@@ -18,9 +17,8 @@
      * Signals the core that a device has connected or has been detected somehow.
      *
      * @param deviceDescription information about network device
-     * @return mastership role chosen by the provider service
      */
-    MastershipRole deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription);
+    void deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription);
 
     /**
      * Signals the core that a device has disconnected or is no longer reachable.
diff --git a/net/core/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java b/net/core/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java
index 9df00b0..fee30a5 100644
--- a/net/core/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java
+++ b/net/core/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceManager.java
@@ -120,13 +120,12 @@
         }
 
         @Override
-        public MastershipRole deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription) {
+        public void deviceConnected(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription deviceDescription) {
             checkNotNull(deviceId, DEVICE_ID_NULL);
             checkNotNull(deviceDescription, DEVICE_DESCRIPTION_NULL);
             log.info("Device {} connected: {}", deviceId, deviceDescription);
             DeviceEvent event = store.createOrUpdateDevice(deviceId, deviceDescription);
             post(event);
-            return MastershipRole.MASTER;
         }
 
         @Override