diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.c b/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.c
index c163c0424..54f2b5b54 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.c
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ typedef struct {
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (DfuDevice, dfu_device, FU_TYPE_USB_DEVICE)
 #define GET_PRIVATE(o) (dfu_device_get_instance_private (o))
 
+static void	dfu_device_set_state (DfuDevice *device, DfuState state);
+
 /**
  * dfu_device_get_transfer_size:
  * @device: a #GUsbDevice
@@ -241,24 +243,22 @@ dfu_device_parse_iface_data (DfuDevice *device, GBytes *iface_data, GError **err
 static void
 dfu_device_guess_state_from_iface (DfuDevice *device, GUsbInterface *iface)
 {
-	DfuDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (device);
-
 	/* some devices use the wrong interface */
 	if (dfu_device_has_quirk (device, DFU_DEVICE_QUIRK_FORCE_DFU_MODE)) {
 		g_debug ("quirking device into DFU mode");
-		priv->state = DFU_STATE_DFU_IDLE;
+		dfu_device_set_state (device, DFU_STATE_DFU_IDLE);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	/* runtime */
 	if (g_usb_interface_get_protocol (iface) == 0x01) {
-		priv->state = DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE;
+		dfu_device_set_state (device, DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	/* DFU */
 	if (g_usb_interface_get_protocol (iface) == 0x02) {
-		priv->state = DFU_STATE_DFU_IDLE;
+		dfu_device_set_state (device, DFU_STATE_DFU_IDLE);
 		return;
 	}
 	g_warning ("unable to guess initial device state from interface %u",
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ dfu_device_add_targets (DfuDevice *device, GError **error)
 	if (priv->targets->len == 0 &&
 	    priv->quirks & DFU_DEVICE_QUIRK_NO_DFU_RUNTIME) {
 		g_debug ("no DFU runtime, so faking device");
-		priv->state = DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE;
+		dfu_device_set_state (device, DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE);
 		priv->iface_number = 0xff;
 		priv->runtime_vid = g_usb_device_get_vid (usb_device);
 		priv->runtime_pid = g_usb_device_get_pid (usb_device);
@@ -461,25 +461,6 @@ dfu_device_set_timeout (DfuDevice *device, guint timeout_ms)
 	priv->timeout_ms = timeout_ms;
 }
 
-/**
- * dfu_device_is_runtime:
- * @device: a #GUsbDevice
- *
- * Gets the device mode.
- *
- * Return value: %TRUE if the device is in a runtime state
- **/
-gboolean
-dfu_device_is_runtime (DfuDevice *device)
-{
-	DfuDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (device);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (DFU_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
-	if (priv->state == DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE ||
-	    priv->state == DFU_STATE_APP_DETACH)
-		return TRUE;
-	return FALSE;
-}
-
 /**
  * dfu_device_get_timeout:
  * @device: a #GUsbDevice
@@ -870,6 +851,14 @@ dfu_device_set_state (DfuDevice *device, DfuState state)
 		return;
 	priv->state = state;
 
+	/* set bootloader status */
+	if (state == DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE ||
+	    state == DFU_STATE_APP_DETACH) {
+		fu_device_remove_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
+	} else {
+		fu_device_add_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
+	}
+
 	switch (state) {
 	case DFU_STATE_DFU_UPLOAD_IDLE:
 		fu_device_set_status (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_STATUS_DEVICE_VERIFY);
@@ -1084,7 +1073,7 @@ dfu_device_detach (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 	/* already in DFU mode */
 	if (!dfu_device_refresh_and_clear (self, error))
 		return FALSE;
-	if (!dfu_device_is_runtime (self))
+	if (fu_device_has_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER))
 		return TRUE;
 
 	/* no backing USB device */
@@ -1394,7 +1383,7 @@ dfu_device_open (FuUsbDevice *device, GError **error)
 	/* the device has no DFU runtime, so cheat */
 	if (priv->state == DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE &&
 	    priv->quirks & DFU_DEVICE_QUIRK_NO_DFU_RUNTIME) {
-		priv->state = DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE;
+		dfu_device_set_state (self, DFU_STATE_APP_IDLE);
 		priv->status = DFU_STATUS_OK;
 	}
 
@@ -1563,7 +1552,7 @@ dfu_device_attach (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 	/* already in runtime mode */
 	if (!dfu_device_refresh_and_clear (self, error))
 		return FALSE;
-	if (dfu_device_is_runtime (self))
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER))
 		return TRUE;
 
 	/* inform UI there's going to be a re-attach */
@@ -2113,4 +2102,5 @@ dfu_device_init (DfuDevice *device)
 	priv->targets = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func ((GDestroyNotify) g_object_unref);
 	priv->timeout_ms = 1500;
 	priv->transfer_size = 64;
+	fu_device_add_icon (FU_DEVICE (device), "drive-harddisk-usb");
 }
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.h b/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.h
index 14927f899..2a91f54b2 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.h
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-device.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ gboolean	 dfu_device_clear_status		(DfuDevice	*device,
 							 GError		**error);
 
 guint8		 dfu_device_get_interface		(DfuDevice	*device);
-gboolean	 dfu_device_is_runtime			(DfuDevice	*device);
 DfuState	 dfu_device_get_state			(DfuDevice	*device);
 DfuStatus	 dfu_device_get_status			(DfuDevice	*device);
 guint16		 dfu_device_get_transfer_size		(DfuDevice	*device);
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-target.c b/plugins/dfu/dfu-target.c
index 916af36c8..7c190349e 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-target.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-target.c
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ dfu_target_use_alt_setting (DfuTarget *target, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 
 	/* use the correct setting */
-	if (!dfu_device_is_runtime (priv->device)) {
+	if (fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (priv->device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
 		if (!g_usb_device_set_interface_alt (usb_device,
 						     (gint) dfu_device_get_interface (priv->device),
 						     (gint) priv->alt_setting,
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/dfu-tool.c b/plugins/dfu/dfu-tool.c
index 85293a6f3..f76863523 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/dfu-tool.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/dfu-tool.c
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ dfu_tool_read_alt (DfuToolPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 			  G_CALLBACK (fu_tool_action_changed_cb), priv);
 
 	/* APP -> DFU */
-	if (dfu_device_is_runtime (device)) {
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
 		g_debug ("detaching");
 		if (!fu_device_detach (FU_DEVICE (device), error))
 			return FALSE;
@@ -1317,7 +1317,7 @@ dfu_tool_read (DfuToolPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 
 	/* APP -> DFU */
-	if (dfu_device_is_runtime (device)) {
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
 		if (!fu_device_detach (FU_DEVICE (device), error))
 			return FALSE;
 		if (!dfu_device_wait_for_replug (device,
@@ -1556,7 +1556,7 @@ dfu_tool_write_alt (DfuToolPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 			  G_CALLBACK (fu_tool_action_changed_cb), priv);
 
 	/* APP -> DFU */
-	if (dfu_device_is_runtime (device)) {
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
 		g_debug ("detaching");
 		if (!fu_device_detach (FU_DEVICE (device), error))
 			return FALSE;
@@ -1684,7 +1684,7 @@ dfu_tool_write (DfuToolPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 	g_debug ("DFU: %s", str_debug);
 
 	/* APP -> DFU */
-	if (dfu_device_is_runtime (device)) {
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
 		if (!fu_device_detach (FU_DEVICE (device), error))
 			return FALSE;
 		if (!dfu_device_wait_for_replug (device,
@@ -1846,7 +1846,7 @@ dfu_tool_list (DfuToolPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 		}
 
 		/* TRANSLATORS: device mode, e.g. application runtime or DFU */
-		is_runtime = dfu_device_is_runtime (device);
+		is_runtime = !fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
 		dfu_tool_print_indent (_("Mode"), is_runtime ? _("Runtime") : _("DFU"), 1);
 
 		tmp = dfu_status_to_string (dfu_device_get_status (device));
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c b/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
index 1512f519a..f408f2151 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
@@ -16,34 +16,7 @@ fu_plugin_init (FuPlugin *plugin)
 	fu_plugin_set_build_hash (plugin, FU_BUILD_HASH);
 	fu_plugin_add_rule (plugin, FU_PLUGIN_RULE_SUPPORTS_PROTOCOL, "org.usb.dfu");
 	fu_plugin_add_rule (plugin, FU_PLUGIN_RULE_SUPPORTS_PROTOCOL, "com.st.dfuse");
-}
-
-gboolean
-fu_plugin_usb_device_added (FuPlugin *plugin, FuUsbDevice *dev, GError **error)
-{
-	g_autoptr(DfuDevice) device = NULL;
-	g_autoptr(FuDeviceLocker) locker = NULL;
-
-	/* open the device */
-	device = dfu_device_new (fu_usb_device_get_dev (dev));
-	fu_device_set_quirks (FU_DEVICE (device), fu_plugin_get_quirks (plugin));
-	dfu_device_set_usb_context (device, fu_plugin_get_usb_context (plugin));
-	locker = fu_device_locker_new (device, error);
-	if (locker == NULL)
-		return FALSE;
-
-	/* ignore defective runtimes */
-	if (fu_device_has_flag (FU_DEVICE (device), FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_ONLY_SUPPORTED)) {
-		g_debug ("ignoring %s", dfu_device_get_platform_id (device));
-		return TRUE;
-	}
-
-	/* this is a guess and can be overridden in the metainfo file */
-	fu_device_add_icon (device, "drive-harddisk-usb");
-
-	/* insert to hash */
-	fu_plugin_device_add (plugin, FU_DEVICE (device));
-	return TRUE;
+	fu_plugin_set_device_gtype (plugin, DFU_TYPE_DEVICE);
 }
 
 gboolean