diff --git a/ofproto/in-band.c b/ofproto/in-band.c
index 849b1ceda..82d8dfa14 100644
--- a/ofproto/in-band.c
+++ b/ofproto/in-band.c
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ in_band_create(struct ofproto *ofproto, const char *local_name,
     struct in_band *in_band;
     struct netdev *local_netdev;
     int error;
-    const char *type = ofproto_port_open_type(ofproto->type, "internal");
+    const char *type = ofproto_port_open_type(ofproto, "internal");
 
     *in_bandp = NULL;
     error = netdev_open(local_name, type, &local_netdev);
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto.c b/ofproto/ofproto.c
index f28bb896e..a982de9d8 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto.c
@@ -1966,27 +1966,18 @@ ofproto_port_dump_done(struct ofproto_port_dump *dump)
     return dump->error == EOF ? 0 : dump->error;
 }
 
-/* Returns the type to pass to netdev_open() when a datapath of type
- * 'datapath_type' has a port of type 'port_type', for a few special
- * cases when a netdev type differs from a port type.  For example, when
- * using the userspace datapath, a port of type "internal" needs to be
- * opened as "tap".
+/* Returns the type to pass to netdev_open() when 'ofproto' has a port of type
+ * 'port_type', for a few special cases when a netdev type differs from a port
+ * type.  For example, when using the userspace datapath, a port of type
+ * "internal" needs to be opened as "tap".
  *
  * Returns either 'type' itself or a string literal, which must not be
  * freed. */
 const char *
-ofproto_port_open_type(const char *datapath_type, const char *port_type)
+ofproto_port_open_type(const struct ofproto *ofproto, const char *port_type)
 {
-    const struct ofproto_class *class;
-
-    datapath_type = ofproto_normalize_type(datapath_type);
-    class = ofproto_class_find__(datapath_type);
-    if (!class) {
-        return port_type;
-    }
-
-    return (class->port_open_type
-            ? class->port_open_type(datapath_type, port_type)
+    return (ofproto->ofproto_class->port_open_type
+            ? ofproto->ofproto_class->port_open_type(ofproto->type, port_type)
             : port_type);
 }
 
@@ -2728,10 +2719,9 @@ init_ports(struct ofproto *p)
 static bool
 ofport_is_internal_or_patch(const struct ofproto *p, const struct ofport *port)
 {
-    return !strcmp(netdev_get_type(port->netdev),
-                   ofproto_port_open_type(p->type, "internal")) ||
-           !strcmp(netdev_get_type(port->netdev),
-                   ofproto_port_open_type(p->type, "patch"));
+    const char *netdev_type = netdev_get_type(port->netdev);
+    return !strcmp(netdev_type, ofproto_port_open_type(p, "internal")) ||
+           !strcmp(netdev_type, ofproto_port_open_type(p, "patch"));
 }
 
 /* If 'port' is internal or patch and if the user didn't explicitly specify an
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto.h b/ofproto/ofproto.h
index 1e48e1952..8c85bbf7f 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto.h
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto.h
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ int ofproto_port_dump_done(struct ofproto_port_dump *);
 #define OFPROTO_FLOW_LIMIT_DEFAULT 200000
 #define OFPROTO_MAX_IDLE_DEFAULT 10000 /* ms */
 
-const char *ofproto_port_open_type(const char *datapath_type,
+const char *ofproto_port_open_type(const struct ofproto *,
                                    const char *port_type);
 int ofproto_port_add(struct ofproto *, struct netdev *, ofp_port_t *ofp_portp);
 int ofproto_port_del(struct ofproto *, ofp_port_t ofp_port);
diff --git a/vswitchd/bridge.c b/vswitchd/bridge.c
index cf9c79fd7..f03fb567f 100644
--- a/vswitchd/bridge.c
+++ b/vswitchd/bridge.c
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ struct iface {
 
     /* These members are valid only within bridge_reconfigure(). */
     const char *type;           /* Usually same as cfg->type. */
-    const char *netdev_type;    /* type that should be used for netdev_open. */
     const struct ovsrec_interface *cfg;
 };
 
@@ -822,7 +821,9 @@ bridge_delete_or_reconfigure_ports(struct bridge *br)
             goto delete;
         }
 
-        if (strcmp(ofproto_port.type, iface->netdev_type)
+        const char *netdev_type = ofproto_port_open_type(br->ofproto,
+                                                         iface->type);
+        if (strcmp(ofproto_port.type, netdev_type)
             || netdev_set_config(iface->netdev, &iface->cfg->options, NULL)) {
             /* The interface is the wrong type or can't be configured.
              * Delete it. */
@@ -1778,7 +1779,7 @@ iface_do_create(const struct bridge *br,
         goto error;
     }
 
-    type = ofproto_port_open_type(br->cfg->datapath_type,
+    type = ofproto_port_open_type(br->ofproto,
                                   iface_get_type(iface_cfg, br->cfg));
     error = netdev_open(iface_cfg->name, type, &netdev);
     if (error) {
@@ -1856,8 +1857,6 @@ iface_create(struct bridge *br, const struct ovsrec_interface *iface_cfg,
     iface->ofp_port = ofp_port;
     iface->netdev = netdev;
     iface->type = iface_get_type(iface_cfg, br->cfg);
-    iface->netdev_type = ofproto_port_open_type(br->cfg->datapath_type,
-                                                iface->type);
     iface->cfg = iface_cfg;
     hmap_insert(&br->ifaces, &iface->ofp_port_node,
                 hash_ofp_port(ofp_port));
@@ -3445,13 +3444,10 @@ bridge_del_ports(struct bridge *br, const struct shash *wanted_ports)
             const struct ovsrec_interface *cfg = port_rec->interfaces[i];
             struct iface *iface = iface_lookup(br, cfg->name);
             const char *type = iface_get_type(cfg, br->cfg);
-            const char *dp_type = br->cfg->datapath_type;
-            const char *netdev_type = ofproto_port_open_type(dp_type, type);
 
             if (iface) {
                 iface->cfg = cfg;
                 iface->type = type;
-                iface->netdev_type = netdev_type;
             } else if (!strcmp(type, "null")) {
                 VLOG_WARN_ONCE("%s: The null interface type is deprecated and"
                                " may be removed in February 2013. Please email"