diff --git a/src/etc/inc/console.inc b/src/etc/inc/console.inc
index 4568f0b3a..23c74cbcc 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/console.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/console.inc
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ function timeout($timer = 7)
 
 function is_interface_mismatch($locked = true)
 {
-    $patterns = ['^impossiblecontrolmatch$'];
     $mismatch = false;
+    $patterns = [];
 
     foreach (plugins_devices() as $device) {
         if (!$device['volatile']) {
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ function is_interface_mismatch($locked = true)
         }
     }
 
-    $regex = '/' . implode('|', $patterns) . '/';
+    $regex = count($patterns) ? '/' . implode('|', $patterns) . '/' : null;
 
     foreach (legacy_config_get_interfaces(['virtual' => false]) as $ifname => $ifcfg) {
         if ($locked && !empty($ifcfg['lock'])) {
             /* Do not mismatch if any lock was issued */
             $mismatch = false;
             break;
-        } elseif (preg_match($regex, $ifcfg['if'])) {
+        } elseif (!empty($regex) && preg_match($regex, $ifcfg['if'])) {
             /* Do not check these interfaces */
             continue;
         } elseif (does_interface_exist($ifcfg['if']) == false) {
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
index 017a33226..c5e100216 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ function plugins_devices()
     $devices = [];
     $defaults = [
         'configurable' => true, /* allow to configure IP connectivity */
+        'pattern' => '^impossiblecontrolmatch$', /* never match by default */
         'spoofmac' => true, /* allow to change the MAC address */
         'volatile' => false, /* device known to persist */
     ];
@@ -109,7 +110,6 @@ function plugins_devices()
         $func = sprintf('%s_devices', $name);
         if (function_exists($func)) {
             foreach ($func() as $work) {
-                /* XXX make sure 'pattern' exists as a prerequisite */
                 foreach ($defaults as $key => $val) {
                     if (!isset($work[$key])) {
                         $work[$key] = $val;