diff --git a/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c b/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
index 5a1a40915..869cbf1b4 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
@@ -491,6 +491,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	/* change behaviour */
 	sysfsdir = fu_common_get_path (FU_PATH_KIND_SYSFSDIR_FW);
 	g_setenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_ESP_PATH", sysfsdir, TRUE);
+	g_setenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_TEST", "1", TRUE);
 	g_setenv ("FWUPD_DELL_FAKE_SMBIOS", "1", FALSE);
 
 	/* only critical and error are fatal */
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-plugin-uefi.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-plugin-uefi.c
index a804047ed..fec2ecf31 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-plugin-uefi.c
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-plugin-uefi.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "fu-uefi-common.h"
 #include "fu-uefi-device.h"
 #include "fu-uefi-vars.h"
+#include "fu-uefi-udisks.h"
 
 #ifndef HAVE_GIO_2_55_0
 #pragma clang diagnostic push
@@ -376,6 +377,7 @@ fu_plugin_update (FuPlugin *plugin,
 		  FwupdInstallFlags flags,
 		  GError **error)
 {
+	FuPluginData *data = fu_plugin_get_data (plugin);
 	const gchar *str;
 	guint32 flashes_left;
 	g_autoptr(GError) error_splash = NULL;
@@ -403,12 +405,24 @@ fu_plugin_update (FuPlugin *plugin,
 
 	/* make sure that the ESP is mounted */
 	if (g_getenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_ESP_PATH") == NULL) {
-		if (!fu_plugin_uefi_esp_mounted (plugin, error))
+		/* mount the partition somewhere */
+		if (fu_uefi_udisks_objpath (data->esp_path)) {
+			g_autofree gchar *path = NULL;
+			path = fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_mount (data->esp_path, error);
+			if (path == NULL)
+				return FALSE;
+			g_debug ("Mounted ESP at %s", path);
+			g_free (data->esp_path);
+			data->esp_path = g_strdup (path);
+		} else if (!fu_plugin_uefi_esp_mounted (plugin, error)) {
 			return FALSE;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* perform the update */
 	g_debug ("Performing UEFI capsule update");
+	if (data->esp_path != NULL)
+		fu_device_set_metadata (device, "EspPath", data->esp_path);
 	fu_device_set_status (device, FWUPD_STATUS_SCHEDULING);
 	if (!fu_plugin_uefi_update_splash (plugin, device, &error_splash)) {
 		g_debug ("failed to upload UEFI UX capsule text: %s",
@@ -559,6 +573,10 @@ fu_plugin_uefi_delete_old_capsules (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 	g_autofree gchar *pattern = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GPtrArray) files = NULL;
 
+	/* can only do this if we're mounted */
+	if (fu_uefi_udisks_objpath (data->esp_path))
+		return TRUE;
+
 	/* delete any files matching the glob in the ESP */
 	files = fu_common_get_files_recursive (data->esp_path, error);
 	if (files == NULL)
@@ -677,16 +695,10 @@ fu_plugin_uefi_ensure_esp_path (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 	    g_ascii_strcasecmp (require_shim_for_sb, "true") == 0)
 		data->require_shim_for_sb = TRUE;
 
-	/* try to guess from heuristics */
-	data->esp_path = fu_uefi_guess_esp_path ();
-	if (data->esp_path == NULL) {
-		g_set_error_literal (error,
-				     G_IO_ERROR,
-				     G_IO_ERROR_INVALID_FILENAME,
-				     "Unable to determine EFI system partition location, "
-				     "See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/Determining-EFI-system-partition-location");
+	/* try to guess from heuristics and partitions */
+	data->esp_path = fu_uefi_guess_esp_path (error);
+	if (data->esp_path == NULL)
 		return FALSE;
-	}
 
 	/* check free space */
 	if (!fu_uefi_check_esp_free_space (data->esp_path, sz_reqd, error))
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-bootmgr.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-bootmgr.c
index 5d3ca98b0..89b412331 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-bootmgr.c
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-bootmgr.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ fu_uefi_bootmgr_bootnext (const gchar *esp_path,
 	g_autofree gchar *target_app = NULL;
 
 	/* skip for self tests */
-	if (g_getenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_ESP_PATH") != NULL)
+	if (g_getenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_TEST") != NULL)
 		return TRUE;
 
 	/* if secure boot was turned on this might need to be installed separately */
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.c
index fa7df3ea8..8c0a64caf 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.c
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "fu-common.h"
 #include "fu-uefi-common.h"
 #include "fu-uefi-vars.h"
+#include "fu-uefi-udisks.h"
 
 #include "fwupd-common.h"
 #include "fwupd-error.h"
@@ -277,6 +278,10 @@ fu_uefi_check_esp_free_space (const gchar *path, guint64 required, GError **erro
 	g_autoptr(GFile) file = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GFileInfo) info = NULL;
 
+	/* skip the checks for unmounted disks */
+	if (fu_uefi_udisks_objpath (path))
+		return TRUE;
+
 	file = g_file_new_for_path (path);
 	info = g_file_query_filesystem_info (file,
 					     G_FILE_ATTRIBUTE_FILESYSTEM_FREE,
@@ -351,8 +356,45 @@ fu_uefi_check_esp_path (const gchar *path, GError **error)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+static gchar *
+fu_uefi_probe_for_esp (GError **error)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GPtrArray) devices = NULL;
+	g_autofree gchar *found_esp = NULL;
+
+	devices = fu_uefi_udisks_get_block_devices (error);
+	if (devices == NULL)
+		return FALSE;
+	for (guint i = 0; i < devices->len; i++) {
+		const gchar *obj = g_ptr_array_index (devices, i);
+		gboolean esp = fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_is_esp (obj);
+		g_debug ("block device %s, is_esp: %d", obj, esp);
+		if (!esp)
+			continue;
+		if (found_esp != NULL) {
+			g_set_error_literal (error,
+					     G_IO_ERROR,
+					     G_IO_ERROR_INVALID_FILENAME,
+					     "Multiple EFI system partitions found, "
+					     "See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/Determining-EFI-system-partition-location");
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		found_esp = g_strdup (obj);
+	}
+	if (found_esp == NULL) {
+		g_set_error_literal (error,
+				     G_IO_ERROR,
+				     G_IO_ERROR_INVALID_FILENAME,
+				     "Unable to determine EFI system partition location, "
+				     "See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/Determining-EFI-system-partition-location");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return g_steal_pointer (&found_esp);
+}
+
 gchar *
-fu_uefi_guess_esp_path (void)
+fu_uefi_guess_esp_path (GError **error)
 {
 	const gchar *paths[] = {"/boot/efi", "/boot", "/efi", NULL};
 	const gchar *path_tmp;
@@ -362,16 +404,19 @@ fu_uefi_guess_esp_path (void)
 	if (path_tmp != NULL)
 		return g_strdup (path_tmp);
 
+	/* try to use known paths */
 	for (guint i = 0; paths[i] != NULL; i++) {
-		g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
-		if (!fu_uefi_check_esp_path (paths[i], &error)) {
-			g_debug ("ignoring ESP path: %s", error->message);
+		g_autoptr(GError) error_local = NULL;
+		if (!fu_uefi_check_esp_path (paths[i], &error_local)) {
+			g_debug ("ignoring ESP path: %s", error_local->message);
 			continue;
 		}
 		return g_strdup (paths[i]);
 	}
 
-	return NULL;
+	/* prove udisks2 */
+	g_debug ("Using UDisks2 to probe for ESP");
+	return fu_uefi_probe_for_esp (error);
 }
 
 gboolean
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.h b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.h
index 535ac1837..7c9c92fac 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.h
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-common.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ gboolean	 fu_uefi_get_framebuffer_size	(guint32	*width,
 						 guint32	*height,
 						 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_uefi_secure_boot_enabled	(void);
-gchar		*fu_uefi_guess_esp_path		(void);
+gchar		*fu_uefi_guess_esp_path		(GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_uefi_check_esp_path		(const gchar	*path,
 						 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_uefi_check_esp_free_space	(const gchar	*path,
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-device.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-device.c
index 98b188ad4..e4e649a04 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-device.c
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-device.c
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ fu_uefi_device_write_update_info (FuUefiDevice *self,
 	};
 
 	/* set the body as the device path */
-	if (g_getenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_ESP_PATH") != NULL) {
+	if (g_getenv ("FWUPD_UEFI_TEST") != NULL) {
 		g_debug ("not building device path, in tests....");
 		return TRUE;
 	}
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-tool.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-tool.c
index dbc92d13b..240451cb1 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-tool.c
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-tool.c
@@ -164,10 +164,11 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 	} else {
-		esp_path = fu_uefi_guess_esp_path ();
+		g_autoptr(GError) error_local = NULL;
+		esp_path = fu_uefi_guess_esp_path (&error_local);
 		if (esp_path == NULL) {
-			g_printerr ("Unable to determine EFI system partition "
-				    "location, override using --esp-path\n");
+			g_printerr ("%s: override using --esp-path\n",
+				    error_local->message);
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.c b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..84ffa6ead
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.c
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Mario Limonciello <mario.limonciello@dell.com>
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include <gio/gio.h>
+
+#include "fu-uefi-udisks.h"
+#include "fwupd-common.h"
+#include "fwupd-error.h"
+
+#define UDISKS_DBUS_SERVICE		"org.freedesktop.UDisks2"
+#define UDISKS_DBUS_PATH		"/org/freedesktop/UDisks2/Manager"
+#define UDISKS_DBUS_MANAGER_INTERFACE	"org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Manager"
+#define UDISKS_DBUS_PART_INTERFACE 	"org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Partition"
+#define UDISKS_DBUS_FILE_INTERFACE	"org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Filesystem"
+#define ESP_DISK_TYPE			"c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b"
+
+gboolean
+fu_uefi_udisks_objpath (const gchar *path)
+{
+	return g_str_has_prefix (path, "/org/freedesktop/UDisks2/");
+}
+
+static GDBusProxy *
+fu_uefi_udisks_get_dbus_proxy (const gchar *path, const gchar *interface,
+			       GError **error)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GDBusConnection) connection = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GDBusProxy) proxy = NULL;
+
+	connection = g_bus_get_sync (G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM, NULL, error);
+	if (connection == NULL) {
+		g_prefix_error (error, "failed to get bus: ");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	proxy = g_dbus_proxy_new_sync (connection,
+				       G_DBUS_PROXY_FLAGS_NONE, NULL,
+				       UDISKS_DBUS_SERVICE,
+				       path,
+				       interface,
+				       NULL, error);
+	if (proxy == NULL) {
+		g_prefix_error (error, "failed to find %s: ", UDISKS_DBUS_SERVICE);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	return g_steal_pointer (&proxy);
+}
+
+
+GPtrArray *
+fu_uefi_udisks_get_block_devices (GError **error)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GVariant) output = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GDBusProxy) proxy = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GPtrArray) devices = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GVariantIter) iter = NULL;
+	GVariant *input;
+	GVariantBuilder builder;
+	const gchar *obj;
+
+	proxy = fu_uefi_udisks_get_dbus_proxy (UDISKS_DBUS_PATH,
+					       UDISKS_DBUS_MANAGER_INTERFACE,
+					       error);
+	if (proxy == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+	g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARDICT);
+	input = g_variant_new ("(a{sv})", &builder);
+	output =  g_dbus_proxy_call_sync (proxy,
+					  "GetBlockDevices", g_variant_ref (input),
+					  G_DBUS_CALL_FLAGS_NONE,
+					  -1, NULL, error);
+	if (output == NULL)
+		return FALSE;
+	devices = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func (g_free);
+	g_variant_get (output, "(ao)", &iter);
+	while (g_variant_iter_next (iter, "o", &obj))
+		g_ptr_array_add (devices, g_strdup (obj));
+
+	return g_steal_pointer (&devices);
+}
+
+gboolean
+fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_is_esp (const gchar *obj)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GDBusProxy) proxy = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GError) error_local = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GVariant) val = NULL;
+	const gchar *str;
+
+	proxy = fu_uefi_udisks_get_dbus_proxy (obj,
+					       UDISKS_DBUS_PART_INTERFACE,
+					       &error_local);
+	if (proxy == NULL) {
+		g_warning ("Failed to initialize d-bus proxy: %s",
+			   error_local->message);
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	val = g_dbus_proxy_get_cached_property (proxy, "Type");
+	if (val == NULL)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	g_variant_get (val, "s", &str);
+	return g_strcmp0 (str, ESP_DISK_TYPE) == 0;
+}
+
+gchar *
+fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_mount (const gchar *path, GError **error)
+{
+	GVariant *input;
+	GVariantBuilder builder;
+	const gchar *str;
+	g_autoptr(GDBusProxy) proxy = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GVariant) val = NULL;
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (fu_uefi_udisks_objpath (path), NULL);
+
+	proxy = fu_uefi_udisks_get_dbus_proxy (path,
+					       UDISKS_DBUS_FILE_INTERFACE,
+					       error);
+	if (proxy == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	g_variant_builder_init (&builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE_VARDICT);
+	input = g_variant_new ("(a{sv})", &builder);
+	val = g_dbus_proxy_call_sync (proxy,
+				      "Mount", input,
+				      G_DBUS_CALL_FLAGS_NONE,
+				      -1, NULL, error);
+	if (val == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+	g_variant_get (val, "(s)", &str);
+
+	return g_strdup (str);
+}
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.h b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46b08cb5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/uefi/fu-uefi-udisks.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Mario Limonciello <mario.limonciello@dell.com>
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+GPtrArray	*fu_uefi_udisks_get_block_devices	(GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_uefi_udisks_objpath			(const gchar	*path);
+gboolean	 fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_is_esp		(const gchar	*obj);
+gchar		*fu_uefi_udisks_objpath_mount		(const gchar	*path,
+							 GError		**error);
diff --git a/plugins/uefi/meson.build b/plugins/uefi/meson.build
index e3d394318..45b18d7d3 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/uefi/meson.build
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ shared_module('fu_plugin_uefi',
     'fu-uefi-devpath.c',
     'fu-uefi-pcrs.c',
     'fu-uefi-update-info.c',
+    'fu-uefi-udisks.c',
     'fu-uefi-vars.c',
   ],
   include_directories : [
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ executable(
     'fu-uefi-devpath.c',
     'fu-uefi-pcrs.c',
     'fu-uefi-update-info.c',
+    'fu-uefi-udisks.c',
     'fu-uefi-vars.c',
   ],
   include_directories : [
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ if get_option('tests')
       'fu-uefi-pcrs.c',
       'fu-uefi-update-info.c',
       'fu-uefi-vars.c',
+      'fu-uefi-udisks.c',
       'fu-ucs2.c',
     ],
     include_directories : [