diff --git a/src/fu-tool.c b/src/fu-tool.c
index 87a91f66e..a08c34e65 100644
--- a/src/fu-tool.c
+++ b/src/fu-tool.c
@@ -1961,7 +1961,8 @@ fu_util_self_sign(FuUtilPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 static void
 fu_util_device_added_cb(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *device, gpointer user_data)
 {
-	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(device, 0);
+	FuUtilPrivate *priv = (FuUtilPrivate *)user_data;
+	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(priv->client, device, 0);
 	/* TRANSLATORS: this is when a device is hotplugged */
 	g_print("%s\n%s", _("Device added:"), tmp);
 }
@@ -1969,7 +1970,8 @@ fu_util_device_added_cb(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *device, gpointer user_
 static void
 fu_util_device_removed_cb(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *device, gpointer user_data)
 {
-	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(device, 0);
+	FuUtilPrivate *priv = (FuUtilPrivate *)user_data;
+	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(priv->client, device, 0);
 	/* TRANSLATORS: this is when a device is hotplugged */
 	g_print("%s\n%s", _("Device removed:"), tmp);
 }
@@ -1977,7 +1979,8 @@ fu_util_device_removed_cb(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *device, gpointer use
 static void
 fu_util_device_changed_cb(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *device, gpointer user_data)
 {
-	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(device, 0);
+	FuUtilPrivate *priv = (FuUtilPrivate *)user_data;
+	g_autofree gchar *tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(priv->client, device, 0);
 	/* TRANSLATORS: this is when a device has been updated */
 	g_print("%s\n%s", _("Device changed:"), tmp);
 }
diff --git a/src/fu-util-common.c b/src/fu-util-common.c
index f2b00ce6d..fb42c40ac 100644
--- a/src/fu-util-common.c
+++ b/src/fu-util-common.c
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ fu_util_traverse_tree(GNode *n, gpointer data)
 	/* get split lines */
 	if (FWUPD_IS_DEVICE(n->data)) {
 		FwupdDevice *dev = FWUPD_DEVICE(n->data);
-		tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(dev, idx);
+		tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(client, dev, idx);
 	} else if (FWUPD_IS_REMOTE(n->data)) {
 		FwupdRemote *remote = FWUPD_REMOTE(n->data);
 		tmp = fu_util_remote_to_string(remote, idx);
@@ -1305,7 +1305,7 @@ fu_util_update_state_to_string(FwupdUpdateState update_state)
 }
 
 gchar *
-fu_util_device_to_string(FwupdDevice *dev, guint idt)
+fu_util_device_to_string(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *dev, guint idt)
 {
 	FwupdUpdateState state;
 	GPtrArray *guids = fwupd_device_get_guids(dev);
diff --git a/src/fu-util-common.h b/src/fu-util-common.h
index 744d7d49a..fc17fb77e 100644
--- a/src/fu-util-common.h
+++ b/src/fu-util-common.h
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ gchar *
 fu_util_time_to_str(guint64 tmp);
 
 gchar *
-fu_util_device_to_string(FwupdDevice *dev, guint idt);
+fu_util_device_to_string(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *dev, guint idt);
 gchar *
 fu_util_plugin_to_string(FwupdPlugin *plugin, guint idt);
 const gchar *
diff --git a/src/fu-util.c b/src/fu-util.c
index 93123c561..1c804cd2d 100644
--- a/src/fu-util.c
+++ b/src/fu-util.c
@@ -1753,7 +1753,7 @@ fu_util_get_results(FuUtilPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 	if (priv->as_json)
 		return fu_util_get_results_as_json(priv, rel, error);
-	tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(rel, 0);
+	tmp = fu_util_device_to_string(priv->client, rel, 0);
 	g_print("%s", tmp);
 	return TRUE;
 }