diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
index ef8ea03d1..c7a1f972d 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.c
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ fwupd_device_flag_to_string (FwupdDeviceFlags device_flag)
 		return "add-counterpart-guids";
 	if (device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_NO_GUID_MATCHING)
 		return "no-guid-matching";
+	if (device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN)
+		return "updatable-hidden";
 	if (device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UNKNOWN)
 		return "unknown";
 	return NULL;
@@ -287,6 +289,8 @@ fwupd_device_flag_from_string (const gchar *device_flag)
 		return FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_ADD_COUNTERPART_GUIDS;
 	if (g_strcmp0 (device_flag, "no-guid-matching") == 0)
 		return FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_NO_GUID_MATCHING;
+	if (g_strcmp0 (device_flag, "updatable-hidden") == 0)
+		return FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN;
 	return FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
index 6a7f2e3ba..e57b24cb7 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ typedef enum {
  * @FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_MD_SET_VERFMT:		Set the device version format from the metadata if available
  * @FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_ADD_COUNTERPART_GUIDS:	Add counterpart GUIDs from an alternate mode like bootloader
  * @FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_NO_GUID_MATCHING:		Force an explicit ID match when adding devices to the device list
+ * @FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN:		Device is updatable but should not be called by the client
  *
  * The device flags.
  **/
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ typedef enum {
 #define FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_MD_SET_VERFMT		(1llu << 34)	/* Since: 1.4.0 */
 #define FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_ADD_COUNTERPART_GUIDS	(1llu << 35)	/* Since: 1.4.0 */
 #define FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_NO_GUID_MATCHING	(1llu << 36)	/* Since: 1.4.1 */
+#define FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN	(1llu << 37)	/* Since: 1.4.1 */
 #define FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UNKNOWN		G_MAXUINT64	/* Since: 0.7.3 */
 typedef guint64 FwupdDeviceFlags;
 
diff --git a/src/fu-install-task.c b/src/fu-install-task.c
index f2cc597e7..ccab6bc57 100644
--- a/src/fu-install-task.c
+++ b/src/fu-install-task.c
@@ -276,7 +276,8 @@ fu_install_task_check_requirements (FuInstallTask *self,
 	}
 
 	/* no update abilities */
-	if (!fu_device_has_flag (self->device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE)) {
+	if (!fu_device_has_flag (self->device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE) &&
+	    !fu_device_has_flag (self->device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN)) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 			     FWUPD_ERROR,
 			     FWUPD_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
diff --git a/src/fu-util-common.c b/src/fu-util-common.c
index 54e1b360c..1cd81f949 100644
--- a/src/fu-util-common.c
+++ b/src/fu-util-common.c
@@ -962,7 +962,8 @@ fu_util_device_flag_to_string (guint64 device_flag)
 		/* TRANSLATORS: Device cannot be removed easily*/
 		return _("Internal device");
 	}
-	if (device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE) {
+	if (device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE ||
+	    device_flag == FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE_HIDDEN) {
 		/* TRANSLATORS: Device is updatable in this or any other mode */
 		return _("Updatable");
 	}