diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.c
index 250fc2fb7..efc5a19f9 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.c
@@ -943,6 +943,32 @@ fu_udev_device_pwrite (FuUdevDevice *self, goffset port, guint8 data, GError **e
 #endif
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_udev_device_get_parent_name
+ * @self: A #FuUdevDevice
+ *
+ * Returns the name of the direct ancestor of this device
+ *
+ * Returns: string or NULL if unset or invalid
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4.2
+ **/
+gchar *
+fu_udev_device_get_parent_name (FuUdevDevice *self)
+{
+#ifdef HAVE_GUDEV
+	FuUdevDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (self);
+	g_autoptr(GUdevDevice) parent = NULL;
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_UDEV_DEVICE (self), NULL);
+
+	parent = g_udev_device_get_parent (priv->udev_device);
+	return parent == NULL ? NULL : g_strdup (g_udev_device_get_name (parent));
+#else
+	return NULL;
+#endif
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_udev_device_get_sysfs_attr:
  * @self: A #FuUdevDevice
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.h b/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.h
index 5e82e5d4f..923e9c587 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.h
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-udev-device.h
@@ -88,3 +88,4 @@ gboolean	 fu_udev_device_pread			(FuUdevDevice	*self,
 const gchar	*fu_udev_device_get_sysfs_attr		 (FuUdevDevice	*self,
 							  const gchar	*attr,
 							  GError	**error);
+gchar		*fu_udev_device_get_parent_name		(FuUdevDevice	*self);
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
index 91dd5d608..3a8456640 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
@@ -583,6 +583,7 @@ LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.4.1 {
 
 LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.4.2 {
   global:
+    fu_udev_device_get_parent_name;
     fu_udev_device_get_sysfs_attr;
   local: *;
 } LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.4.1;