diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
index 933766aeb..d6f871e7d 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
@@ -368,6 +368,8 @@ fwupd_device_problem_to_string(FwupdDeviceProblem device_problem)
 		return "missing-license";
 	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_SYSTEM_INHIBIT)
 		return "system-inhibit";
+	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS)
+		return "update-in-process";
 	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UNKNOWN)
 		return "unknown";
 	return NULL;
@@ -406,6 +408,8 @@ fwupd_device_problem_from_string(const gchar *device_problem)
 		return FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_MISSING_LICENSE;
 	if (g_strcmp0(device_problem, "system-inhibit") == 0)
 		return FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_SYSTEM_INHIBIT;
+	if (g_strcmp0(device_problem, "update-in-process") == 0)
+		return FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS;
 	return FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
index af96ab6e3..dc0165e1b 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
@@ -631,6 +631,14 @@ typedef guint64 FwupdDeviceFlags;
  * Since 1.8.10
  */
 #define FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_SYSTEM_INHIBIT (1llu << 8)
+/**
+ * FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS:
+ *
+ * The device cannot be updated as it is already being updated.
+ *
+ * Since 1.8.11
+ */
+#define FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS (1llu << 9)
 /**
  * FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UNKNOWN:
  *
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-self-test.c b/libfwupd/fwupd-self-test.c
index 2468efbe9..64d813362 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-self-test.c
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-self-test.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ fwupd_enums_func(void)
 		g_assert_cmpstr(tmp, !=, NULL);
 		g_assert_cmpint(fwupd_device_flag_from_string(tmp), ==, i);
 	}
-	for (guint64 i = 1; i <= FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_SYSTEM_INHIBIT; i *= 2) {
+	for (guint64 i = 1; i <= FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS; i *= 2) {
 		const gchar *tmp = fwupd_device_problem_to_string(i);
 		if (tmp == NULL)
 			g_warning("missing device problem 0x%x", (guint)i);
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
index ce3dfb07d..9831e91fd 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
@@ -2926,6 +2926,8 @@ fu_device_problem_to_inhibit_reason(FuDevice *self, guint64 device_problem)
 		return g_strdup("Device cannot be used while the lid is closed");
 	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_IS_EMULATED)
 		return g_strdup("Device is emulated");
+	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS)
+		return g_strdup("An update is in progress");
 	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_MISSING_LICENSE)
 		return g_strdup("Device does not have the necessary license installed");
 	if (device_problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_SYSTEM_POWER_TOO_LOW) {
diff --git a/src/fu-device-list.c b/src/fu-device-list.c
index c8364e6f1..d7f4f0fb9 100644
--- a/src/fu-device-list.c
+++ b/src/fu-device-list.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "fu-device-list.h"
 #include "fu-device-private.h"
+#include "fu-engine.h"
 #include "fu-mutex.h"
 
 /**
@@ -605,6 +606,16 @@ fu_device_list_clear_wait_for_replug(FuDeviceList *self, FuDeviceItem *item)
 	}
 }
 
+static void
+fu_device_incorporate_problem_update_in_progress(FuDevice *self, FuDevice *donor)
+{
+	if (fu_device_has_inhibit(donor, "update-in-progress")) {
+		g_debug("moving inhibit update-in-progress to active device");
+		fu_device_add_problem(self, FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS);
+		fu_device_remove_problem(donor, FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS);
+	}
+}
+
 static void
 fu_device_incorporate_update_state(FuDevice *self, FuDevice *donor)
 {
@@ -646,6 +657,9 @@ fu_device_list_replace(FuDeviceList *self, FuDeviceItem *item, FuDevice *device)
 		fu_device_set_private_flags(device, private_flags);
 	}
 
+	/* copy inhibit */
+	fu_device_incorporate_problem_update_in_progress(item->device, device);
+
 	/* copy over the version strings if not set */
 	if (fu_device_get_version(item->device) != NULL && fu_device_get_version(device) == NULL) {
 		const gchar *version = fu_device_get_version(item->device);
@@ -744,6 +758,8 @@ fu_device_list_add(FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device)
 			g_debug("found existing device %s", fu_device_get_id(device));
 			if (device != item->device) {
 				fu_device_uninhibit(item->device, "unconnected");
+				fu_device_incorporate_problem_update_in_progress(device,
+										 item->device);
 				fu_device_incorporate_update_state(device, item->device);
 				fu_device_list_item_set_device(item, device);
 			}
@@ -757,6 +773,7 @@ fu_device_list_add(FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device)
 		    g_strcmp0(fu_device_get_id(device), fu_device_get_id(item->device_old)) == 0) {
 			g_debug("found old device %s, swapping", fu_device_get_id(device));
 			fu_device_uninhibit(item->device, "unconnected");
+			fu_device_incorporate_problem_update_in_progress(device, item->device);
 			fu_device_incorporate_update_state(device, item->device);
 			g_set_object(&item->device_old, item->device);
 			fu_device_list_item_set_device(item, device);
diff --git a/src/fu-engine.c b/src/fu-engine.c
index 5d4255b60..d3fea1420 100644
--- a/src/fu-engine.c
+++ b/src/fu-engine.c
@@ -3138,7 +3138,7 @@ fu_engine_prepare(FuEngine *self,
 		g_prefix_error(error, "failed to get device before update prepare: ");
 		return FALSE;
 	}
-	fu_device_inhibit(device, "update-in-progress", "An update is in progress");
+	fu_device_add_problem(device, FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS);
 
 	if (!fu_engine_device_check_power(self, device, flags, error))
 		return FALSE;
@@ -3178,7 +3178,7 @@ fu_engine_cleanup(FuEngine *self,
 		g_prefix_error(error, "failed to get device before update cleanup: ");
 		return FALSE;
 	}
-	fu_device_uninhibit(device, "update-in-progress");
+	fu_device_remove_problem(device, FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS);
 	str = fu_device_to_string(device);
 	g_debug("cleanup -> %s", str);
 	if (!fu_engine_device_cleanup(self, device, progress, flags, error))
diff --git a/src/fu-util-common.c b/src/fu-util-common.c
index 630cc16c3..9eb4913af 100644
--- a/src/fu-util-common.c
+++ b/src/fu-util-common.c
@@ -1410,6 +1410,10 @@ fu_util_device_problem_to_string(FwupdClient *client, FwupdDevice *dev, FwupdDev
 		/* TRANSLATORS: an application is preventing system updates */
 		return g_strdup(_("All devices are prevented from update by system inhibit"));
 	}
+	if (problem == FWUPD_DEVICE_PROBLEM_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS) {
+		/* TRANSLATORS: another application is updating the device already */
+		return g_strdup(_("An update is in progress"));
+	}
 	return NULL;
 }