diff --git a/src/fu-common-cab.c b/src/fu-common-cab.c
index c755b9b05..22c7f7491 100644
--- a/src/fu-common-cab.c
+++ b/src/fu-common-cab.c
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ fu_common_store_from_cab_file (XbBuilder *builder, GCabCabinet *cabinet,
 	g_autoptr(GError) error_local = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(XbBuilderSource) source = xb_builder_source_new ();
 
+	/* rewrite to be under a components root */
+	xb_builder_source_set_prefix (source, "components");
+
 	/* parse file */
 #ifdef HAVE_GCAB_1_0
 	blob = gcab_file_get_bytes (cabfile);
@@ -440,8 +443,7 @@ fu_common_cab_build_silo (GBytes *blob, guint64 size_max, GError **error)
 	if (silo == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
-	/* this looks weird, but metainfo files have no <components> node */
-	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "component", 0, &error_local);
+	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "components/component", 0, &error_local);
 	if (components == NULL) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 			     FWUPD_ERROR,
diff --git a/src/fu-engine.c b/src/fu-engine.c
index a262e01d0..0a00c3810 100644
--- a/src/fu-engine.c
+++ b/src/fu-engine.c
@@ -2250,7 +2250,7 @@ fu_engine_get_details (FuEngine *self, gint fd, GError **error)
 	silo = fu_engine_get_silo_from_blob (self, blob, error);
 	if (silo == NULL)
 		return NULL;
-	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "component", 0, &error_local);
+	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "components/component", 0, &error_local);
 	if (components == NULL) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 			     FWUPD_ERROR,
@@ -2261,10 +2261,10 @@ fu_engine_get_details (FuEngine *self, gint fd, GError **error)
 	}
 
 	/* build the index */
-	if (!xb_silo_query_build_index (silo, "component/provides/firmware",
+	if (!xb_silo_query_build_index (silo, "components/component/provides/firmware",
 					"type", error))
 		return FALSE;
-	if (!xb_silo_query_build_index (silo, "component/provides/firmware",
+	if (!xb_silo_query_build_index (silo, "components/component/provides/firmware",
 					NULL, error))
 		return FALSE;
 
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index 0a2b9dae4..9c40f8484 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ fu_main_install_with_helper (FuMainAuthHelper *helper_ref, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 
 	/* for each component in the silo */
-	components = xb_silo_query (helper->silo, "component", 0, error);
+	components = xb_silo_query (helper->silo, "components/component", 0, error);
 	if (components == NULL)
 		return FALSE;
 	helper->action_ids = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func (g_free);
diff --git a/src/fu-self-test.c b/src/fu-self-test.c
index 7a28a33e6..274272ea5 100644
--- a/src/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/src/fu-self-test.c
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ fu_engine_require_hwid_func (void)
 	fu_engine_add_device (engine, device);
 
 	/* get component */
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ fu_engine_history_func (void)
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
 
 	/* get component */
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ fu_engine_history_error_func (void)
 	silo = fu_engine_get_silo_from_blob (engine, blob_cab, &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.hughski.test.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 	task = fu_install_task_new (device, component);
@@ -2595,7 +2595,7 @@ fu_plugin_composite_func (void)
 	silo = fu_common_cab_build_silo (blob, 10240, &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
-	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "component", 0, &error);
+	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "components/component", 0, &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (components);
 	g_assert_cmpint (components->len, ==, 3);
@@ -2742,7 +2742,7 @@ fu_common_store_cab_func (void)
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
 
 	/* verify */
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 	rel = xb_node_query_first (component, "releases/release", &error);
@@ -2792,7 +2792,7 @@ fu_common_store_cab_unsigned_func (void)
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
 
 	/* verify */
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 	rel = xb_node_query_first (component, "releases/release", &error);
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ fu_common_store_cab_folder_func (void)
 	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
 
 	/* verify */
-	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "components/component/id[text()='com.acme.example.firmware']/..", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert_nonnull (component);
 	rel = xb_node_query_first (component, "releases/release", &error);
diff --git a/src/fu-tool.c b/src/fu-tool.c
index f4c0ffd69..a5f72fb0f 100644
--- a/src/fu-tool.c
+++ b/src/fu-tool.c
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ fu_util_install (FuUtilPrivate *priv, gchar **values, GError **error)
 	silo = fu_engine_get_silo_from_blob (priv->engine, blob_cab, error);
 	if (silo == NULL)
 		return FALSE;
-	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "component", 0, error);
+	components = xb_silo_query (silo, "components/component", 0, error);
 	if (components == NULL)
 		return FALSE;