diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
index a550f34ce9a38..ad63424493872 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ import com.android.internal.telephony.PhoneConstants;
 import com.android.server.am.BatteryStatsService;
 import com.android.server.connectivity.Tethering;
 import com.android.server.connectivity.Vpn;
+import com.android.server.net.BaseNetworkObserver;
 import com.google.android.collect.Lists;
 import com.google.android.collect.Sets;
 import dalvik.system.DexClassLoader;
@@ -524,6 +525,7 @@ public class ConnectivityService extends IConnectivityManager.Stub {
         try {
             nmService.registerObserver(mTethering);
             nmService.registerObserver(mVpn);
+            nmService.registerObserver(mDataActivityObserver);
         } catch (RemoteException e) {
             loge("Error registering observer :" + e);
         }
@@ -535,13 +537,6 @@ public class ConnectivityService extends IConnectivityManager.Stub {
         mSettingsObserver = new SettingsObserver(mHandler, EVENT_APPLY_GLOBAL_HTTP_PROXY);
         mSettingsObserver.observe(mContext);
 
-        INetworkManagementEventObserver netdObserver = new NetdObserver();
-        try {
-            mNetd.registerObserver(netdObserver);
-        } catch (RemoteException e) {
-            loge("Error registering observer :" + e);
-        }
-
         loadGlobalProxy();
     }
 
@@ -922,18 +917,13 @@ public class ConnectivityService extends IConnectivityManager.Stub {
         return tracker != null && tracker.setRadio(turnOn);
     }
 
-    private class NetdObserver extends INetworkManagementEventObserver.Stub {
+    private INetworkManagementEventObserver mDataActivityObserver = new BaseNetworkObserver() {
+        @Override
         public void interfaceClassDataActivityChanged(String label, boolean active) {
             int deviceType = Integer.parseInt(label);
             sendDataActivityBroadcast(deviceType, active);
         }
-
-        public void interfaceStatusChanged(String iface, boolean up) {}
-        public void interfaceLinkStateChanged(String iface, boolean up) {}
-        public void interfaceAdded(String iface) {}
-        public void interfaceRemoved(String iface) {}
-        public void limitReached(String limitName, String iface) {}
-    }
+    };
 
     /**
      * Used to notice when the calling process dies so we can self-expire
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkAlertObserver.java b/services/java/com/android/server/net/BaseNetworkObserver.java
similarity index 71%
rename from services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkAlertObserver.java
rename to services/java/com/android/server/net/BaseNetworkObserver.java
index 9e181c57484ab..8b2aa5db81a0f 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkAlertObserver.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/net/BaseNetworkObserver.java
@@ -19,29 +19,39 @@ package com.android.server.net;
 import android.net.INetworkManagementEventObserver;
 
 /**
+ * Base {@link INetworkManagementEventObserver} that provides no-op
+ * implementations which can be overridden.
+ *
  * @hide
  */
-public abstract class NetworkAlertObserver extends INetworkManagementEventObserver.Stub {
+public class BaseNetworkObserver extends INetworkManagementEventObserver.Stub {
     @Override
     public void interfaceStatusChanged(String iface, boolean up) {
-        // ignored; interface changes come through ConnectivityService
+        // default no-op
     }
 
     @Override
     public void interfaceRemoved(String iface) {
-        // ignored; interface changes come through ConnectivityService
+        // default no-op
     }
 
     @Override
     public void interfaceLinkStateChanged(String iface, boolean up) {
-        // ignored; interface changes come through ConnectivityService
+        // default no-op
     }
 
     @Override
     public void interfaceAdded(String iface) {
-        // ignored; interface changes come through ConnectivityService
+        // default no-op
     }
+
+    @Override
     public void interfaceClassDataActivityChanged(String label, boolean active) {
-        // ignored; interface changes come through ConnectivityService
+        // default no-op
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void limitReached(String limitName, String iface) {
+        // default no-op
     }
 }
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkPolicyManagerService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkPolicyManagerService.java
index 3eb29db230f3c..7e5f8cff71822 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkPolicyManagerService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkPolicyManagerService.java
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ public class NetworkPolicyManagerService extends INetworkPolicyManager.Stub {
     /**
      * Observer that watches for {@link INetworkManagementService} alerts.
      */
-    private INetworkManagementEventObserver mAlertObserver = new NetworkAlertObserver() {
+    private INetworkManagementEventObserver mAlertObserver = new BaseNetworkObserver() {
         @Override
         public void limitReached(String limitName, String iface) {
             // only someone like NMS should be calling us
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkStatsService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkStatsService.java
index ba122ecdf2317..ffe2a3d4a170a 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkStatsService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkStatsService.java
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ public class NetworkStatsService extends INetworkStatsService.Stub {
     /**
      * Observer that watches for {@link INetworkManagementService} alerts.
      */
-    private INetworkManagementEventObserver mAlertObserver = new NetworkAlertObserver() {
+    private INetworkManagementEventObserver mAlertObserver = new BaseNetworkObserver() {
         @Override
         public void limitReached(String limitName, String iface) {
             // only someone like NMS should be calling us