diff --git a/parser/mount.cc b/parser/mount.cc
index c7130786f..c349e5ca6 100644
--- a/parser/mount.cc
+++ b/parser/mount.cc
@@ -772,8 +772,17 @@ int mnt_rule::gen_policy_remount(Profile &prof, int &count,
 			goto fail;
 		vec[0] = mntbuf.c_str();
 	} else {
-		if (!convert_entry(mntbuf, device))
+		if (device && strcmp(device, "detached") == 0) {
+			/* if (features_supports_detached_mount) ...
+			 * not needed because this is equiv to ""
+			 * which was preivously supported
+			 *
+			 * match nothing
+			 */
+			devbuf.clear();
+		} else if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device)) {
 			goto fail;
+		}
 		vec[0] = mntbuf.c_str();
 	}
 	/* skip device */
@@ -844,8 +853,12 @@ int mnt_rule::gen_policy_bind_mount(Profile &prof, int &count,
 	if (!convert_entry(mntbuf, mnt_point))
 		goto fail;
 	vec[0] = mntbuf.c_str();
-	if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device))
+	if (device && strcmp(device, "detached") == 0) {
+		/* see note in move_mount. match nothing */
+		devbuf.clear();
+	} else if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device)) {
 		goto fail;
+	}
 	vec[1] = devbuf.c_str();
 	/* skip type */
 	vec[2] = default_match_pattern;
@@ -946,8 +959,12 @@ int mnt_rule::gen_policy_move_mount(Profile &prof, int &count,
 	if (!convert_entry(mntbuf, mnt_point))
 		goto fail;
 	vec[0] = mntbuf.c_str();
-	if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device))
+	if (device && strcmp(device, "detached") == 0) {
+		/* see note in move_mount. match nothing */
+		devbuf.clear();
+	} else if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device)) {
 		goto fail;
+	}
 	vec[1] = devbuf.c_str();
 	/* skip type */
 	vec[2] = default_match_pattern;
@@ -987,8 +1004,12 @@ int mnt_rule::gen_policy_new_mount(Profile &prof, int &count,
 	if (!convert_entry(mntbuf, mnt_point))
 		goto fail;
 	vec[0] = mntbuf.c_str();
-	if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device))
+	if (device && strcmp(device, "detached") == 0) {
+		/* see note in move mount. match nothing */
+		devbuf.clear();
+	} else if (!clear_and_convert_entry(devbuf, device)) {
 		goto fail;
+	}
 	vec[1] = devbuf.c_str();
 	typebuf.clear();
 	if (!build_list_val_expr(typebuf, dev_type))
diff --git a/parser/parser.h b/parser/parser.h
index 2f63e65cc..3e0eb5ee9 100644
--- a/parser/parser.h
+++ b/parser/parser.h
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ extern int features_supports_inet;
 extern int kernel_supports_policydb;
 extern int kernel_supports_diff_encode;
 extern int features_supports_mount;
+extern bool features_supports_detached_mount;
 extern int features_supports_dbus;
 extern int features_supports_signal;
 extern int features_supports_ptrace;
diff --git a/parser/parser_common.c b/parser/parser_common.c
index 7da975991..ca9457c94 100644
--- a/parser/parser_common.c
+++ b/parser/parser_common.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ int features_supports_inet = 0; 	/* kernel supports inet network rules */
 int features_supports_unix = 0;		/* kernel supports unix socket rules */
 int kernel_supports_policydb = 0;	/* kernel supports new policydb */
 int features_supports_mount = 0;	/* kernel supports mount rules */
+bool features_supports_detached_mount = false;
 int features_supports_dbus = 0;		/* kernel supports dbus rules */
 int kernel_supports_diff_encode = 0;	/* kernel supports diff_encode */
 int features_supports_signal = 0;	/* kernel supports signal rules */
diff --git a/parser/parser_main.c b/parser/parser_main.c
index 8234ec9c3..802217dd1 100644
--- a/parser/parser_main.c
+++ b/parser/parser_main.c
@@ -956,6 +956,14 @@ void set_supported_features()
 	features_supports_mount = features_intersect(kernel_features,
 						     policy_features,
 						     "mount");
+	/*
+	 * note: detached mounts are just a null condition, so previous
+	 *       mount rule encoding supports it, if the kernel supports
+	 *       it. So support for detached depends on mount intersect and
+	 *       kernel detached.
+	 */
+	features_supports_detached_mount = aa_features_supports(kernel_features,
+							      "mount/move_mount/detached");
 	features_supports_dbus = features_intersect(kernel_features,
 						    policy_features, "dbus");
 	features_supports_signal = features_intersect(kernel_features,