diff --git a/src/fu-install-task.c b/src/fu-install-task.c
index d7c7fa4e2..a8e1d81f5 100644
--- a/src/fu-install-task.c
+++ b/src/fu-install-task.c
@@ -356,9 +356,14 @@ fu_install_task_check_requirements (FuInstallTask *self,
 	}
 
 	/* check semver */
-	version_release = fu_common_version_parse_from_format (version_release_raw,
-							       fu_device_get_version_format (self->device));
-	vercmp = fu_common_vercmp (version, version_release);
+	if (fu_device_get_version_format (self->device) == FWUPD_VERSION_FORMAT_PLAIN) {
+		version_release = g_strdup (version_release_raw);
+		vercmp = g_strcmp0 (version, version_release);
+	} else {
+		version_release = fu_common_version_parse_from_format (version_release_raw,
+								       fu_device_get_version_format (self->device));
+		vercmp = fu_common_vercmp (version, version_release);
+	}
 	if (vercmp == 0 && (flags & FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_ALLOW_REINSTALL) == 0) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 			     FWUPD_ERROR,
diff --git a/src/fu-self-test.c b/src/fu-self-test.c
index ca5755e86..9fcd7a68d 100644
--- a/src/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/src/fu-self-test.c
@@ -506,6 +506,51 @@ fu_engine_requirements_device_func (gconstpointer user_data)
 	g_assert (ret);
 }
 
+static void
+fu_engine_requirements_device_plain_func (gconstpointer user_data)
+{
+	gboolean ret;
+	g_autoptr(FuDevice) device = fu_device_new ();
+	g_autoptr(FuEngine) engine = fu_engine_new (FU_APP_FLAGS_NONE);
+	g_autoptr(FuInstallTask) task = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(XbNode) component = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(XbSilo) silo = NULL;
+	const gchar *xml =
+		"<component>"
+		"  <provides>"
+		"    <firmware type=\"flashed\">12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012</firmware>"
+		"  </provides>"
+		"  <releases>"
+		"    <release version=\"51H0AALB\">"
+		"      <checksum type=\"sha1\" filename=\"bios.bin\" target=\"content\"/>"
+		"    </release>"
+		"  </releases>"
+		"</component>";
+
+	/* set up a dummy device */
+	fu_device_set_version (device, "5101AALB", FWUPD_VERSION_FORMAT_PLAIN);
+	fu_device_set_vendor_id (device, "FFFF");
+	fu_device_add_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE);
+	fu_device_add_guid (device, "12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012");
+
+	/* make the component require three things */
+	silo = xb_silo_new_from_xml (xml, &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component", &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_nonnull (component);
+
+	/* check this passes */
+	task = fu_install_task_new (device, component);
+	ret = fu_engine_check_requirements (engine, task,
+					    FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_NONE,
+					    &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert (ret);
+}
+
 static void
 fu_engine_requirements_version_format_func (gconstpointer user_data)
 {
@@ -3036,6 +3081,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 			      fu_engine_requirements_unsupported_func);
 	g_test_add_data_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-device}", self,
 			      fu_engine_requirements_device_func);
+	g_test_add_data_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-device-plain}", self,
+			      fu_engine_requirements_device_plain_func);
 	g_test_add_data_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-version-format}", self,
 			      fu_engine_requirements_version_format_func);
 	g_test_add_data_func ("/fwupd/engine{device-auto-parent}", self,