diff --git a/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.c b/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.c
index 41261152e..ea1e28a48 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.c
+++ b/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.c
@@ -1018,9 +1018,8 @@ fu_plugin_update_offline (FuPlugin *plugin,
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-gboolean
+static gboolean
 fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (FuPlugin *plugin,
-			     FuDevice *device,
 			     GError **error,
 			     gboolean enable)
 {
@@ -1063,7 +1062,7 @@ fu_plugin_update_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin,
                           FuDevice *device,
                           GError **error)
 {
-	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash(plugin, device, error, TRUE);
+	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (plugin, error, TRUE);
 }
 
 gboolean
@@ -1071,23 +1070,19 @@ fu_plugin_update_cleanup (FuPlugin *plugin,
                           FuDevice *device,
                           GError **error)
 {
-	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash(plugin, device, error, FALSE);
+	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (plugin, error, FALSE);
 }
 
 gboolean
-fu_plugin_coldplug_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin,
-                          FuDevice *device,
-                          GError **error)
+fu_plugin_coldplug_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 {
-	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash(plugin, device, error, TRUE);
+	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (plugin, error, TRUE);
 }
 
 gboolean
-fu_plugin_coldplug_cleanup (FuPlugin *plugin,
-                          FuDevice *device,
-                          GError **error)
+fu_plugin_coldplug_cleanup (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 {
-	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash(plugin, device, error, FALSE);
+	return fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (plugin, error, FALSE);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.h b/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.h
index a409fc801..60337f660 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.h
+++ b/plugins/dell/fu-plugin-dell.h
@@ -34,12 +34,6 @@ fu_plugin_dell_inject_fake_data (FuPlugin *plugin,
 gboolean
 fu_plugin_dell_toggle_device_mode (const efi_guid_t, int);
 
-gboolean
-fu_plugin_dell_toggle_flash (FuPlugin *,
-			     FuDevice *,
-			     GError **,
-			     gboolean);
-
 gboolean
 fu_plugin_dell_detect_tpm (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error);
 
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index e57b7c77b..ff07c5842 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -2320,6 +2320,15 @@ fu_main_plugins_coldplug (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 {
 	g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask = NULL;
 
+	/* prepare */
+	for (guint i = 0; i < priv->plugins->len; i++) {
+		g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+		FuPlugin *plugin = g_ptr_array_index (priv->plugins, i);
+		if (!fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_prepare (plugin, &error))
+			g_warning ("failed to prepare coldplug: %s", error->message);
+	}
+
+	/* exec */
 	ptask = as_profile_start_literal (priv->profile, "FuMain:coldplug");
 	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 	for (guint i = 0; i < priv->plugins->len; i++) {
@@ -2335,6 +2344,14 @@ fu_main_plugins_coldplug (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 			g_warning ("disabling plugin because: %s", error->message);
 		}
 	}
+
+	/* cleanup */
+	for (guint i = 0; i < priv->plugins->len; i++) {
+		g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+		FuPlugin *plugin = g_ptr_array_index (priv->plugins, i);
+		if (!fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_cleanup (plugin, &error))
+			g_warning ("failed to cleanup coldplug: %s", error->message);
+	}
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/fu-plugin-private.h b/src/fu-plugin-private.h
index 7d5879185..b9603de41 100644
--- a/src/fu-plugin-private.h
+++ b/src/fu-plugin-private.h
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ gboolean	 fu_plugin_runner_startup		(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_plugin_runner_coldplug		(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_prepare	(FuPlugin	*plugin,
+							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_cleanup	(FuPlugin	*plugin,
+							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_plugin_runner_update_prepare	(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 FuDevice	*device,
 							 GError		**error);
diff --git a/src/fu-plugin-vfuncs.h b/src/fu-plugin-vfuncs.h
index 56f6d8bb9..42614793c 100644
--- a/src/fu-plugin-vfuncs.h
+++ b/src/fu-plugin-vfuncs.h
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ gboolean	 fu_plugin_startup			(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_plugin_coldplug			(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_plugin_coldplug_prepare		(FuPlugin	*plugin,
+							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_plugin_coldplug_cleanup		(FuPlugin	*plugin,
+							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_plugin_update_online		(FuPlugin	*plugin,
 							 FuDevice	*dev,
 							 GBytes		*blob_fw,
diff --git a/src/fu-plugin.c b/src/fu-plugin.c
index 6840d3b6f..910183175 100644
--- a/src/fu-plugin.c
+++ b/src/fu-plugin.c
@@ -360,6 +360,50 @@ fu_plugin_runner_coldplug (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+gboolean
+fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
+{
+	FuPluginPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (plugin);
+	FuPluginStartupFunc func = NULL;
+
+	/* not enabled */
+	if (!priv->enabled)
+		return TRUE;
+
+	/* optional */
+	g_module_symbol (priv->module, "fu_plugin_coldplug_prepare", (gpointer *) &func);
+	if (func == NULL)
+		return TRUE;
+	g_debug ("performing coldplug_prepare() on %s", priv->name);
+	if (!func (plugin, error)) {
+		g_prefix_error (error, "failed to prepare for coldplug %s: ", priv->name);
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+gboolean
+fu_plugin_runner_coldplug_cleanup (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
+{
+	FuPluginPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (plugin);
+	FuPluginStartupFunc func = NULL;
+
+	/* not enabled */
+	if (!priv->enabled)
+		return TRUE;
+
+	/* optional */
+	g_module_symbol (priv->module, "fu_plugin_coldplug_cleanup", (gpointer *) &func);
+	if (func == NULL)
+		return TRUE;
+	g_debug ("performing coldplug_cleanup() on %s", priv->name);
+	if (!func (plugin, error)) {
+		g_prefix_error (error, "failed to cleanup coldplug %s: ", priv->name);
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 gboolean
 fu_plugin_runner_update_prepare (FuPlugin *plugin, FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 {