diff --git a/plugins/powerd/README.md b/plugins/powerd/README.md
index 626b0238c..8d4015bd0 100644
--- a/plugins/powerd/README.md
+++ b/plugins/powerd/README.md
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ This protocol does not create a device and thus requires no vendor ID set.
 External interface access
 -------------------------
 
-This plugin requires access to a dbus interface that is to be discussed.
+This plugin requires access to the `org.chromium.PowerManager` DBus interface.
diff --git a/plugins/powerd/fu-plugin-powerd.c b/plugins/powerd/fu-plugin-powerd.c
index 63ff621a0..16d893265 100644
--- a/plugins/powerd/fu-plugin-powerd.c
+++ b/plugins/powerd/fu-plugin-powerd.c
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 #include <fwupdplugin.h>
 
+#define MINIMUM_BATTERY_PERCENTAGE_FALLBACK 10
+
 struct FuPluginData {
 	GDBusProxy *proxy; /* nullable */
 };
@@ -17,14 +19,59 @@ void
 fu_plugin_init (FuPlugin *plugin)
 {
 	fu_plugin_set_build_hash (plugin, FU_BUILD_HASH);
+	fu_plugin_alloc_data (plugin, sizeof (FuPluginData));
+}
+
+void
+fu_plugin_destroy (FuPlugin *plugin)
+{
+	FuPluginData *data = fu_plugin_get_data (plugin);
+	if (data->proxy != NULL)
+		g_object_unref (data->proxy);
 }
 
 gboolean
 fu_plugin_startup (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 {
-	g_set_error (
-	    error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED, "not supported yet");
-	return FALSE;
+	FuPluginData *data = fu_plugin_get_data (plugin);
+	g_autoptr(GDBusConnection) connection = NULL;
+	g_autofree gchar *name_owner = NULL;
+
+	/* establishing DBus connection and proxy for method call to powerd */
+	connection = g_bus_get_sync (G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM, NULL, error);
+
+	if (connection == NULL) {
+		g_prefix_error (error,
+				"Connection with system was not established: ");
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	data->proxy = g_dbus_proxy_new_sync (connection,
+					     G_DBUS_PROXY_FLAGS_NONE,
+					     NULL,
+					     "org.chromium.PowerManager",
+					     "/org/chromium/PowerManager",
+					     "org.chromium.PowerManager",
+					     NULL,
+					     error);
+
+	if (data->proxy == NULL) {
+		g_prefix_error (
+		    error,
+		    "Failed to establish proxy for power manager server: ");
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	name_owner = g_dbus_proxy_get_name_owner (data->proxy);
+	if (name_owner == NULL) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+			     "No service that owns the name for %s",
+			     g_dbus_proxy_get_name (data->proxy));
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	return TRUE;
 }
 
 gboolean
@@ -33,5 +80,58 @@ fu_plugin_update_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin,
 			  FuDevice *device,
 			  GError **error)
 {
+	FuPluginData *data = fu_plugin_get_data (plugin);
+	guint32 power_type = 0;
+	guint32 current_status = 0;
+	gdouble current_percentage = 0;
+	g_autoptr(GVariant) powerd_response = NULL;
+
+	/* making method call to "GetBatteryState" through the proxy */
+	powerd_response = g_dbus_proxy_call_sync (data->proxy,
+						  "GetBatteryState",
+						  NULL,
+						  G_DBUS_CALL_FLAGS_NONE,
+						  -1,
+						  NULL,
+						  error);
+
+	if (powerd_response == NULL) {
+		g_prefix_error (
+		    error,
+		    "Battery information from powerd was not loaded "
+		    "successfully: ");
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	/* parsing data in powerd_response and inputting it into battery-check
+	 * conditions */
+	g_variant_get (powerd_response,
+		       "(uud)",
+		       &power_type,
+		       &current_status,
+		       &current_percentage);
+
+	/* blocking updates if there is no AC power or if battery
+	 * percentage is too low
+	 */
+	if (fu_device_has_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC) &&
+	    current_status == FU_BATTERY_STATE_DISCHARGING) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR_AC_POWER_REQUIRED,
+			     "Cannot install update without external power "
+			     "unless forced ");
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	if (current_percentage < MINIMUM_BATTERY_PERCENTAGE_FALLBACK) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR_BATTERY_LEVEL_TOO_LOW,
+			     "Cannot install update when system battery "
+			     "is not at least %i%% unless forced",
+			     MINIMUM_BATTERY_PERCENTAGE_FALLBACK);
+		return FALSE;
+	}
 	return TRUE;
 }