diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
index 5b6455481..2ef0a041e 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	guint				 percentage;
 	gchar				*daemon_version;
 	gchar				*host_product;
+	gchar				*host_machine_id;
 	GDBusConnection			*conn;
 	GDBusProxy			*proxy;
 } FwupdClientPrivate;
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ enum {
 	PROP_DAEMON_VERSION,
 	PROP_TAINTED,
 	PROP_HOST_PRODUCT,
+	PROP_HOST_MACHINE_ID,
 	PROP_LAST
 };
 
@@ -113,6 +115,15 @@ fwupd_client_set_host_product (FwupdClient *client, const gchar *host_product)
 	g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (client), "host-product");
 }
 
+static void
+fwupd_client_set_host_machine_id (FwupdClient *client, const gchar *host_machine_id)
+{
+	FwupdClientPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (client);
+	g_free (priv->host_machine_id);
+	priv->host_machine_id = g_strdup (host_machine_id);
+	g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (client), "host-machine-id");
+}
+
 static void
 fwupd_client_set_daemon_version (FwupdClient *client, const gchar *daemon_version)
 {
@@ -172,6 +183,12 @@ fwupd_client_properties_changed_cb (GDBusProxy *proxy,
 		if (val != NULL)
 			fwupd_client_set_host_product (client, g_variant_get_string (val, NULL));
 	}
+	if (g_variant_dict_contains (dict, "HostMachineId")) {
+		g_autoptr(GVariant) val = NULL;
+		val = g_dbus_proxy_get_cached_property (proxy, "HostMachineId");
+		if (val != NULL)
+			fwupd_client_set_host_machine_id (client, g_variant_get_string (val, NULL));
+	}
 }
 
 static void
@@ -269,6 +286,9 @@ fwupd_client_connect (FwupdClient *client, GCancellable *cancellable, GError **e
 	val = g_dbus_proxy_get_cached_property (priv->proxy, "HostProduct");
 	if (val != NULL)
 		fwupd_client_set_host_product (client, g_variant_get_string (val, NULL));
+	val = g_dbus_proxy_get_cached_property (priv->proxy, "HostMachineId");
+	if (val != NULL)
+		fwupd_client_set_host_machine_id (client, g_variant_get_string (val, NULL));
 
 	return TRUE;
 }
@@ -1189,6 +1209,24 @@ fwupd_client_get_host_product (FwupdClient *client)
 	return priv->host_product;
 }
 
+/**
+ * fwupd_client_get_host_machine_id:
+ * @client: A #FwupdClient
+ *
+ * Gets the string that represents the host machine ID
+ *
+ * Returns: a string, or %NULL for unknown.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.3.2
+ **/
+const gchar *
+fwupd_client_get_host_machine_id (FwupdClient *client)
+{
+	FwupdClientPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (client);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FWUPD_IS_CLIENT (client), FALSE);
+	return priv->host_machine_id;
+}
+
 /**
  * fwupd_client_get_status:
  * @client: A #FwupdClient
@@ -1714,6 +1752,9 @@ fwupd_client_get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id,
 	case PROP_HOST_PRODUCT:
 		g_value_set_string (value, priv->host_product);
 		break;
+	case PROP_HOST_MACHINE_ID:
+		g_value_set_string (value, priv->host_machine_id);
+		break;
 	default:
 		G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
 		break;
@@ -1890,6 +1931,16 @@ fwupd_client_class_init (FwupdClientClass *klass)
 				     NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_NAME);
 	g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_HOST_PRODUCT, pspec);
 
+	/**
+	 * FwupdClient:host-machine-id:
+	 *
+	 * The host machine-id string
+	 *
+	 * Since: 1.3.2
+	 */
+	pspec = g_param_spec_string ("host-machine-id", NULL, NULL,
+				     NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_NAME);
+	g_object_class_install_property (object_class, PROP_HOST_MACHINE_ID, pspec);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1905,6 +1956,7 @@ fwupd_client_finalize (GObject *object)
 
 	g_free (priv->daemon_version);
 	g_free (priv->host_product);
+	g_free (priv->host_machine_id);
 	if (priv->conn != NULL)
 		g_object_unref (priv->conn);
 	if (priv->proxy != NULL)
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
index b6fa21a6d..129488d69 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ gboolean	 fwupd_client_get_tainted		(FwupdClient	*client);
 guint		 fwupd_client_get_percentage		(FwupdClient	*client);
 const gchar	*fwupd_client_get_daemon_version	(FwupdClient	*client);
 const gchar	*fwupd_client_get_host_product		(FwupdClient	*client);
+const gchar	*fwupd_client_get_host_machine_id	(FwupdClient	*client);
 
 GPtrArray	*fwupd_client_get_remotes		(FwupdClient	*client,
 							 GCancellable	*cancellable,
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd.map b/libfwupd/fwupd.map
index 2d7a402f9..ef7e954a8 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd.map
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd.map
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ LIBFWUPD_1.3.1 {
 
 LIBFWUPD_1.3.2 {
   global:
+    fwupd_client_get_host_machine_id;
     fwupd_release_add_issue;
     fwupd_release_get_issues;
   local: *;
diff --git a/src/fu-engine.c b/src/fu-engine.c
index a1b94dcfa..191acc855 100644
--- a/src/fu-engine.c
+++ b/src/fu-engine.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ struct _FuEngine
 	GHashTable		*runtime_versions;
 	GHashTable		*compile_versions;
 	GHashTable		*approved_firmware;
+	gchar			*host_machine_id;
 	gboolean		 loaded;
 };
 
@@ -4160,6 +4161,13 @@ fu_engine_get_host_product (FuEngine *self)
 	return fu_hwids_get_value (self->hwids, FU_HWIDS_KEY_PRODUCT_NAME);
 }
 
+const gchar *
+fu_engine_get_host_machine_id (FuEngine *self)
+{
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_ENGINE (self), NULL);
+	return self->host_machine_id;
+}
+
 gboolean
 fu_engine_load_plugins (FuEngine *self, GError **error)
 {
@@ -4573,6 +4581,11 @@ fu_engine_load (FuEngine *self, FuEngineLoadFlags flags, GError **error)
 	if (self->loaded)
 		return TRUE;
 
+	/* cache machine ID so we can use it from a sandboxed app */
+	self->host_machine_id = fwupd_build_machine_id ("fwupd", error);
+	if (self->host_machine_id == NULL)
+		return FALSE;
+
 	/* read config file */
 	if (flags & FU_ENGINE_LOAD_FLAG_READONLY_FS)
 		config_flags |= FU_CONFIG_LOAD_FLAG_READONLY_FS;
@@ -4820,6 +4833,7 @@ fu_engine_finalize (GObject *obj)
 	if (self->coldplug_id != 0)
 		g_source_remove (self->coldplug_id);
 
+	g_free (self->host_machine_id);
 	g_object_unref (self->idle);
 	g_object_unref (self->config);
 	g_object_unref (self->smbios);
diff --git a/src/fu-engine.h b/src/fu-engine.h
index 3fd535f48..2dfa23d57 100644
--- a/src/fu-engine.h
+++ b/src/fu-engine.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ gboolean	 fu_engine_load_plugins			(FuEngine	*self,
 							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_engine_get_tainted			(FuEngine	*self);
 const gchar	*fu_engine_get_host_product		(FuEngine *self);
+const gchar	*fu_engine_get_host_machine_id		(FuEngine *self);
 FwupdStatus	 fu_engine_get_status			(FuEngine	*self);
 XbSilo		*fu_engine_get_silo_from_blob		(FuEngine	*self,
 							 GBytes		*blob_cab,
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index fa1e02b3b..8feedc3bd 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -1366,6 +1366,9 @@ fu_main_daemon_get_property (GDBusConnection *connection_, const gchar *sender,
 	if (g_strcmp0 (property_name, "HostProduct") == 0)
 		return g_variant_new_string (fu_engine_get_host_product (priv->engine));
 
+	if (g_strcmp0 (property_name, "HostMachineId") == 0)
+		return g_variant_new_string (fu_engine_get_host_machine_id (priv->engine));
+
 	/* return an error */
 	g_set_error (error,
 		     G_DBUS_ERROR,
diff --git a/src/org.freedesktop.fwupd.xml b/src/org.freedesktop.fwupd.xml
index a61025153..4db832aab 100644
--- a/src/org.freedesktop.fwupd.xml
+++ b/src/org.freedesktop.fwupd.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@
       </doc:doc>
     </property>
 
+    <!--***********************************************************-->
+    <property name='HostMachineId' type='s' access='read'>
+      <doc:doc>
+        <doc:description>
+          <doc:para>
+            The machine ID for the host.
+          </doc:para>
+        </doc:description>
+      </doc:doc>
+    </property>
+
     <!--***********************************************************-->
     <property name='Tainted' type='b' access='read'>
       <doc:doc>