diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
index 8b29de013..5720a9ec1 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
@@ -653,13 +653,6 @@ fu_device_set_parent (FuDevice *self, FuDevice *parent)
 
 	g_return_if_fail (FU_IS_DEVICE (self));
 
-	/* if unspecified, always child before parent */
-	if (parent != NULL &&
-	    fu_device_get_order (parent) == fu_device_get_order (self)) {
-		g_debug ("auto-setting %s order", fu_device_get_id (parent));
-		fu_device_set_order (parent, fu_device_get_order (self) + 1);
-	}
-
 	/* if the parent has quirks, make the child inherit it */
 	if (parent != NULL) {
 		if (fu_device_get_quirks (self) == NULL &&
@@ -802,15 +795,6 @@ fu_device_add_child (FuDevice *self, FuDevice *child)
 
 	/* ensure the parent is also set on the child */
 	fu_device_set_parent (child, self);
-
-	/* order devices so they are updated in the correct sequence */
-	if (fu_device_has_flag (child, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_INSTALL_PARENT_FIRST)) {
-		if (priv->order >= fu_device_get_order (child))
-			fu_device_set_order (child, priv->order + 1);
-	} else {
-		if (priv->order <= fu_device_get_order (child))
-			priv->order = fu_device_get_order (child) + 1;
-	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/fu-device-list.c b/src/fu-device-list.c
index fc154442d..de25ed3be 100644
--- a/src/fu-device-list.c
+++ b/src/fu-device-list.c
@@ -81,6 +81,60 @@ fu_device_list_emit_device_changed (FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device)
 	g_signal_emit (self, signals[SIGNAL_CHANGED], 0, device);
 }
 
+/* we cannot use fu_device_get_children() as this will not find "parent-only"
+ * logical relationships added using fu_device_add_parent_guid() */
+static GPtrArray *
+fu_device_list_get_children (FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device)
+{
+	GPtrArray *devices = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func ((GDestroyNotify) g_object_unref);
+	g_rw_lock_reader_lock (&self->devices_mutex);
+	for (guint i = 0; i < self->devices->len; i++) {
+		FuDeviceItem *item = g_ptr_array_index (self->devices, i);
+		if (device == fu_device_get_parent (item->device))
+			g_ptr_array_add (devices, g_object_ref (item->device));
+	}
+	g_rw_lock_reader_unlock (&self->devices_mutex);
+	return devices;
+}
+
+static void
+fu_device_list_depsolve_order_full (FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device, guint depth)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GPtrArray) children = NULL;
+
+	/* ourself */
+	fu_device_set_order (device, depth);
+
+	/* optional children */
+	children = fu_device_list_get_children (self, device);
+	for (guint i = 0; i < children->len; i++) {
+		FuDevice *child = g_ptr_array_index (children, i);
+		if (fu_device_has_flag (child, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_INSTALL_PARENT_FIRST)) {
+			fu_device_list_depsolve_order_full (self, child, depth + 1);
+		} else {
+			fu_device_list_depsolve_order_full (self, child, depth - 1);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * fu_device_list_depsolve_order:
+ * @self: A #FuDeviceList
+ * @device: A #FuDevice
+ *
+ * Sets the device order using the logical parent->child relationships -- by default
+ * the child is updated first, unless the device has set flag
+ * %FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_INSTALL_PARENT_FIRST.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.5.0
+ **/
+void
+fu_device_list_depsolve_order (FuDeviceList *self, FuDevice *device)
+{
+	g_autoptr(FuDevice) root = fu_device_get_root (device);
+	fu_device_list_depsolve_order_full (self, root, 0);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_device_list_get_all:
  * @self: A #FuDeviceList
diff --git a/src/fu-device-list.h b/src/fu-device-list.h
index 783b9d765..eaf711a6b 100644
--- a/src/fu-device-list.h
+++ b/src/fu-device-list.h
@@ -31,3 +31,5 @@ FuDevice	*fu_device_list_get_by_guid		(FuDeviceList	*self,
 gboolean	 fu_device_list_wait_for_replug		(FuDeviceList	*self,
 							 FuDevice	*device,
 							 GError		**error);
+void		 fu_device_list_depsolve_order		(FuDeviceList	*self,
+							 FuDevice	*device);
diff --git a/src/fu-engine.c b/src/fu-engine.c
index 72dff9b9a..f0c543ce3 100644
--- a/src/fu-engine.c
+++ b/src/fu-engine.c
@@ -5208,6 +5208,9 @@ fu_engine_add_device (FuEngine *self, FuDevice *device)
 	/* create new device */
 	fu_device_list_add (self->device_list, device);
 
+	/* fix order */
+	fu_device_list_depsolve_order (self->device_list, device);
+
 	/* fixup the name and format as needed from cached metadata */
 	if (component != NULL)
 		fu_engine_md_refresh_device_from_component (self, device, component);
diff --git a/src/fu-self-test.c b/src/fu-self-test.c
index 1f9abbabf..903edba41 100644
--- a/src/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/src/fu-self-test.c
@@ -1076,15 +1076,18 @@ fu_engine_device_parent_func (gconstpointer user_data)
 	/* add two together */
 	fu_engine_add_device (engine, device2);
 
+	/* this is normally done by fu_plugin_device_add() */
+	fu_engine_add_device (engine, device3);
+
 	/* verify both children were adopted */
 	g_assert (fu_device_get_parent (device3) == device2);
 	g_assert (fu_device_get_parent (device1) == device2);
 	g_assert_cmpstr (fu_device_get_vendor (device3), ==, "oem");
 
 	/* verify order */
-	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device1), ==, 0);
-	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device2), ==, 1);
-	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device3), ==, 0);
+	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device1), ==, -1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device2), ==, 0);
+	g_assert_cmpint (fu_device_get_order (device3), ==, -1);
 }
 
 static void