diff --git a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
index 6e21dc040..4a7890006 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/interfaces.inc
@@ -180,30 +180,30 @@ function _interfaces_vlan_configure($vlan)
     interfaces_bring_up($vlan['vlanif']);
 }
 
-function interfaces_create_wireless_clones($verbose = false)
+function interfaces_wlan_clone($device)
 {
     global $config;
 
-    if ($verbose) {
-        echo 'Creating wireless clone interfaces...';
-        flush();
-    }
-
     foreach (array_keys(get_configured_interface_with_descr()) as $if) {
-        if (isset($config['interfaces'][$if]['wireless'])) {
-            interface_wireless_clone(get_real_interface($if), $config['interfaces'][$if]);
+        if (!isset($config['interfaces'][$if]['wireless'])) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        $realif = get_real_interface($if);
+        /* XXX 'if' check only required if parent is still embedded */
+        if ($device == $realif || $device == $config['interfaces'][$if]['if']) {
+            _interfaces_wlan_clone($realif, $config['interfaces'][$if]);
+            return;
         }
     }
 
     if (isset($config['wireless']['clone'])) {
         foreach ($config['wireless']['clone'] as $clone) {
-            interface_wireless_clone($clone['cloneif'], $clone);
+            if ($device == $clone['cloneif']) {
+                _interfaces_wlan_clone($clone['cloneif'], $clone);
+                return;
+            }
         }
     }
-
-    if ($verbose) {
-        echo "done.\n";
-    }
 }
 
 function interfaces_bridge_configure($device)
@@ -755,7 +755,6 @@ function interfaces_configure($verbose = false)
     }
 
     interfaces_loopback_configure($verbose);
-    interfaces_create_wireless_clones($verbose);
     interfaces_lagg_configure($verbose);
     interfaces_vlan_configure($verbose);
 
@@ -1450,7 +1449,7 @@ function interface_carp_configure($vip)
     }
 }
 
-function interface_wireless_clone($realif, $wlcfg)
+function _interfaces_wlan_clone($realif, $wlcfg)
 {
     /*
      * Check to see if interface has been cloned as of yet.
@@ -1607,10 +1606,10 @@ function interface_wireless_configure($if, &$wancfg)
         $wancfg['wireless'] = [];
     }
 
-    /* XXX interface_wireless_clone() and interface_sync_wireless_clones() need work */
+    /* XXX _interfaces_wlan_clone() and interface_sync_wireless_clones() need work */
 
     // Clone wireless nic if needed.
-    interface_wireless_clone($if, $wancfg);
+    _interfaces_wlan_clone($if, $wancfg);
 
     // Reject inadvertent changes to shared settings in case the interface hasn't been configured.
     interface_sync_wireless_clones($wancfg, false);
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/core.inc b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/core.inc
index d658aeba6..92f3bf0f6 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/core.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/plugins.inc.d/core.inc
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ function core_devices()
     }
 
     $devices[] = [
-        'function' => null, /* XXX needs to handle implied clones as well */
+        'function' => 'interfaces_wlan_clone',
         'names' => $wlan_names,
         'pattern' => '_wlan',
         'volatile' => true,
diff --git a/src/www/interfaces.php b/src/www/interfaces.php
index dd7a64283..b2447f199 100644
--- a/src/www/interfaces.php
+++ b/src/www/interfaces.php
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'GET') {
         /* Sync first to be sure it displays the actual settings that will be used */
         interface_sync_wireless_clones($a_interfaces[$if], false);
         /* Get wireless modes */
-        interface_wireless_clone(get_real_interface($if), $a_interfaces[$if]);
+        _interfaces_wlan_clone(get_real_interface($if), $a_interfaces[$if]);
         $wlanbaseif = interface_get_wireless_base($a_interfaces[$if]['if']);
         $std_wl_copy_fieldnames = array(
           'standard', 'mode','protmode', 'ssid', 'channel', 'txpower', 'diversity', 'txantenna', 'rxantenna',
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'GET') {
                 if ($clone_count > 1) {
                     $wlanif = get_real_interface($if);
                     $a_interfaces[$if]['wireless']['mode'] = $pconfig['mode'];
-                    if (!interface_wireless_clone("{$wlanif}_", $a_interfaces[$if])) {
+                    if (!_interfaces_wlan_clone("{$wlanif}_", $a_interfaces[$if])) {
                         $input_errors[] = sprintf(gettext("Unable to change mode to %s. You may already have the maximum number of wireless clones supported in this mode."), $wlan_modes[$a_interfaces[$if]['wireless']['mode']]);
                     } else {
                         legacy_interface_destroy("{$wlanif}_");
diff --git a/src/www/interfaces_wireless_edit.php b/src/www/interfaces_wireless_edit.php
index 6cb679669..964f57bb6 100644
--- a/src/www/interfaces_wireless_edit.php
+++ b/src/www/interfaces_wireless_edit.php
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'GET') {
             }
         }
         if (count($input_errors) == 0) {
-            if (!interface_wireless_clone($clone['cloneif'], $clone)) {
+            if (!_interfaces_wlan_clone($clone['cloneif'], $clone)) {
                 $input_errors[] = sprintf(gettext('Error creating interface with mode %s. The %s interface may not support creating more clones with the selected mode.'), $wlan_modes[$clone['mode']], $clone['if']);
             } else {
                 if (isset($id)) {