diff --git a/ofproto/connmgr.c b/ofproto/connmgr.c
index 508d05c2650..3180884d036 100644
--- a/ofproto/connmgr.c
+++ b/ofproto/connmgr.c
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ ofconn_create(struct ofservice *ofservice, struct rconn *rconn,
     hmap_init(&ofconn->bundles);
     ofconn->next_bundle_expiry_check = time_msec() + BUNDLE_EXPIRY_INTERVAL;
 
-    ofconn_set_rate_limit(ofconn, settings->rate_limit, settings->burst_limit);
+    ofservice_reconfigure(ofservice, settings);
 
     ovs_mutex_unlock(&ofproto_mutex);
 }
@@ -1915,10 +1915,7 @@ connmgr_count_hidden_rules(const struct connmgr *mgr)
 }
 
 /* Creates a new ofservice for 'target' in 'mgr'.  Returns 0 if successful,
- * otherwise a positive errno value.
- *
- * ofservice_reconfigure() must be called to fully configure the new
- * ofservice. */
+ * otherwise a positive errno value. */
 static void
 ofservice_create(struct connmgr *mgr, const char *target,
                  const struct ofproto_controller *c)
@@ -1928,7 +1925,8 @@ ofservice_create(struct connmgr *mgr, const char *target,
     struct rconn *rconn = NULL;
     if (!vconn_verify_name(target)) {
         char *name = ofconn_make_name(mgr, target);
-        rconn = rconn_create(5, 8, c->dscp, c->allowed_versions);
+        rconn = rconn_create(c->probe_interval, c->max_backoff,
+                             c->dscp, c->allowed_versions);
         rconn_connect(rconn, target, name);
         free(name);
     } else if (!pvconn_verify_name(target)) {
@@ -1951,7 +1949,6 @@ ofservice_create(struct connmgr *mgr, const char *target,
     ofservice->rconn = rconn;
     ofservice->pvconn = pvconn;
     ofservice->s = *c;
-    ofservice_reconfigure(ofservice, c);
 
     VLOG_INFO("%s: added %s controller \"%s\"",
               mgr->name, ofconn_type_to_string(ofservice->type), target);
diff --git a/tests/ofproto.at b/tests/ofproto.at
index 32bde5b5a28..2ad5741fa17 100644
--- a/tests/ofproto.at
+++ b/tests/ofproto.at
@@ -6630,3 +6630,31 @@ recirc_id(0),in_port(1),packet_type(ns=0,id=0),eth_type(0x0806),arp(tip=172.31.1
 
 OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
+
+AT_SETUP([ofproto - configure inactivity probe interval])
+
+# Set 6 second inactivity probe interval (default is 5 seconds).
+OVS_VSWITCHD_START([set-controller br0 unix:testcontroller \
+                   -- set Controller br0 inactivity_probe=6000], [], [],
+                   [-vfile:rconn:dbg])
+
+# Start test openflow controller.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-testcontroller -vsyslog:off --detach --no-chdir --pidfile punix:testcontroller],
+         [0], [ignore])
+on_exit 'kill `cat ovs-testcontroller.pid`'
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([test -e testcontroller])
+
+# After 6 seconds of inactivity there should be a log message.
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([grep "idle 6 seconds, sending inactivity probe" ovs-vswitchd.log])
+
+# Restart ovs-vswitchd with an empty ovs-vswitchd log file.
+OVS_APP_EXIT_AND_WAIT([ovs-vswitchd])
+mv ovs-vswitchd.log ovs-vswitchd_1.log
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vswitchd --enable-dummy --disable-system --disable-system-route --detach \
+         --no-chdir --pidfile --log-file -vfile:rconn:dbg -vvconn -vofproto_dpif -vunixctl],
+         [0], [], [stderr])
+
+# After 6 seconds of inactivity there should be a log message.
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([grep "idle 6 seconds, sending inactivity probe" ovs-vswitchd.log])
+OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP(["/br0<->unix:testcontroller: connection failed/d"])
+AT_CLEANUP