diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
index 713b6706a..988fba705 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
@@ -4797,6 +4797,13 @@ fu_device_unbind_driver(FuDevice *self, GError **error)
 	return klass->unbind_driver(self, error);
 }
 
+static const gchar *
+fu_device_instance_lookup(FuDevice *self, const gchar *key)
+{
+	FuDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE(self);
+	return g_hash_table_lookup(priv->instance_hash, key);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_device_incorporate:
  * @self: a #FuDevice
@@ -4860,6 +4867,13 @@ fu_device_incorporate(FuDevice *self, FuDevice *donor)
 	}
 	g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&priv_donor->metadata_mutex);
 
+	/* copy all instance ID keys if not already set */
+	g_hash_table_iter_init(&iter, priv_donor->instance_hash);
+	while (g_hash_table_iter_next(&iter, &key, &value)) {
+		if (fu_device_instance_lookup(self, key) == NULL)
+			fu_device_add_instance_str(self, key, value);
+	}
+
 	/* now the base class, where all the interesting bits are */
 	fwupd_device_incorporate(FWUPD_DEVICE(self), FWUPD_DEVICE(donor));
 
@@ -5169,13 +5183,6 @@ fu_device_add_instance_u32(FuDevice *self, const gchar *key, guint32 value)
 	g_hash_table_insert(priv->instance_hash, g_strdup(key), g_strdup_printf("%08X", value));
 }
 
-static const gchar *
-fu_device_instance_lookup(FuDevice *self, const gchar *key)
-{
-	FuDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE(self);
-	return g_hash_table_lookup(priv->instance_hash, key);
-}
-
 /**
  * fu_device_build_instance_id:
  * @self: a #FuDevice
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-self-test.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-self-test.c
index 7691b91a8..671360f7f 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-self-test.c
@@ -1382,14 +1382,18 @@ fu_device_parent_func(void)
 static void
 fu_device_incorporate_func(void)
 {
-	g_autoptr(FuDevice) device = fu_device_new(NULL);
-	g_autoptr(FuDevice) donor = fu_device_new(NULL);
+	gboolean ret;
+	g_autoptr(FuContext) ctx = fu_context_new();
+	g_autoptr(FuDevice) device = fu_device_new(ctx);
+	g_autoptr(FuDevice) donor = fu_device_new(ctx);
+	g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
 
 	/* set up donor device */
 	fu_device_set_alternate_id(donor, "alt-id");
 	fu_device_set_equivalent_id(donor, "equiv-id");
 	fu_device_set_metadata(donor, "test", "me");
 	fu_device_set_metadata(donor, "test2", "me");
+	fu_device_add_instance_str(donor, "VID", "1234");
 
 	/* base properties */
 	fu_device_add_flag(donor, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC);
@@ -1412,6 +1416,10 @@ fu_device_incorporate_func(void)
 	g_assert_cmpint(fu_device_get_created(device), ==, 123);
 	g_assert_cmpint(fu_device_get_modified(device), ==, 789);
 	g_assert_cmpint(fu_device_get_icons(device)->len, ==, 1);
+	ret = fu_device_build_instance_id(device, &error, "SUBSYS", "VID", NULL);
+	g_assert_no_error(error);
+	g_assert_true(ret);
+	g_assert_true(fu_device_has_instance_id(device, "SUBSYS\\VID_1234"));
 }
 
 static void