diff --git a/ovsdb/jsonrpc-server.c b/ovsdb/jsonrpc-server.c
index 617f5a7991e..417ff06f010 100644
--- a/ovsdb/jsonrpc-server.c
+++ b/ovsdb/jsonrpc-server.c
@@ -330,7 +330,8 @@ ovsdb_jsonrpc_server_set_remotes(struct ovsdb_jsonrpc_server *svr,
         if (!options) {
             VLOG_INFO("%s: remote deconfigured", node->name);
             ovsdb_jsonrpc_server_del_remote(node);
-        } else if (options->dscp != remote->dscp) {
+        } else if (options->dscp != remote->dscp
+                   || !nullable_string_is_equal(options->role, remote->role)) {
             ovsdb_jsonrpc_server_del_remote(node);
          }
     }