diff --git a/src/fu-udev-device.c b/src/fu-udev-device.c
index 7866e004c..7bd29250c 100644
--- a/src/fu-udev-device.c
+++ b/src/fu-udev-device.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ fu_udev_device_read_uint16 (const gchar *str)
 static gboolean
 fu_udev_device_probe (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 {
+	FuUdevDeviceClass *klass = FU_UDEV_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (device);
 	FuUdevDevice *self = FU_UDEV_DEVICE (device);
 	FuUdevDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (self);
 	const gchar *tmp;
@@ -163,6 +164,12 @@ fu_udev_device_probe (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 		fu_device_add_guid (device, devid);
 	}
 
+	/* subclassed */
+	if (klass->probe != NULL) {
+		if (!klass->probe (self, error))
+			return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	/* success */
 	return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/src/fu-udev-device.h b/src/fu-udev-device.h
index acd792c76..fccec5577 100644
--- a/src/fu-udev-device.h
+++ b/src/fu-udev-device.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE (FuUdevDevice, fu_udev_device, FU, UDEV_DEVICE, FuDevic
 struct _FuUdevDeviceClass
 {
 	FuDeviceClass	parent_class;
+	gboolean	 (*probe)			(FuUdevDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
 	gpointer	__reserved[31];
 };