diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-hwids.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-hwids.c
index 11fb1c088..f56ad675e 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-hwids.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-hwids.c
@@ -280,21 +280,10 @@ fu_hwids_convert_padded_integer_cb (FuSmbios *smbios,
 				    guint8 type, guint8 offset,
 				    GError **error)
 {
-	g_autoptr(GBytes) data = NULL;
-	const guint8 *data_raw;
-	gsize data_sz = 0;
-	data = fu_smbios_get_data (smbios, type, error);
-	if (data == NULL)
+	guint tmp = fu_smbios_get_integer (smbios, type, offset, error);
+	if (tmp == G_MAXUINT)
 		return NULL;
-	data_raw = g_bytes_get_data (data, &data_sz);
-	if (offset >= data_sz) {
-		g_set_error_literal (error,
-				     FWUPD_ERROR,
-				     FWUPD_ERROR_INVALID_FILE,
-				     "offset bigger than data");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	return g_strdup_printf ("%02x", data_raw[offset]);
+	return g_strdup_printf ("%02x", tmp);
 }
 
 static gchar *
@@ -302,21 +291,10 @@ fu_hwids_convert_integer_cb (FuSmbios *smbios,
 			     guint8 type, guint8 offset,
 			     GError **error)
 {
-	g_autoptr(GBytes) data = NULL;
-	const guint8 *data_raw;
-	gsize data_sz = 0;
-	data = fu_smbios_get_data (smbios, type, error);
-	if (data == NULL)
+	guint tmp = fu_smbios_get_integer (smbios, type, offset, error);
+	if (tmp == G_MAXUINT)
 		return NULL;
-	data_raw = g_bytes_get_data (data, &data_sz);
-	if (offset >= data_sz) {
-		g_set_error_literal (error,
-				     FWUPD_ERROR,
-				     FWUPD_ERROR_INVALID_FILE,
-				     "offset bigger than data");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	return g_strdup_printf ("%x", data_raw[offset]);
+	return g_strdup_printf ("%x", tmp);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.c
index 90ec1e4f4..1b5d09df9 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.c
@@ -502,6 +502,53 @@ fu_smbios_get_data (FuSmbios *self, guint8 type, GError **error)
 	return g_bytes_new (item->buf->data, item->buf->len);
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_smbios_get_integer:
+ * @self: A #FuSmbios
+ * @type: A structure type, e.g. %FU_SMBIOS_STRUCTURE_TYPE_BIOS
+ * @offset: A structure offset
+ * @error: A #GError or %NULL
+ *
+ * Reads an integer value from the SMBIOS string table of a specific structure.
+ *
+ * The @type and @offset can be referenced from the DMTF SMBIOS specification:
+ * https://www.dmtf.org/sites/default/files/standards/documents/DSP0134_3.1.1.pdf
+ *
+ * Returns: an integer, or %G_MAXUINT if invalid or not found
+ *
+ * Since: 1.5.0
+ **/
+guint
+fu_smbios_get_integer (FuSmbios *self, guint8 type, guint8 offset, GError **error)
+{
+	FuSmbiosItem *item;
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_SMBIOS (self), 0);
+
+	/* get item */
+	item = fu_smbios_get_item_for_type (self, type);
+	if (item == NULL) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR_INVALID_FILE,
+			     "no structure with type %02x", type);
+		return G_MAXUINT;
+	}
+
+	/* check offset valid */
+	if (offset >= item->buf->len) {
+		g_set_error (error,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR,
+			     FWUPD_ERROR_INVALID_FILE,
+			     "offset bigger than size %u",
+			     item->buf->len);
+		return G_MAXUINT;
+	}
+
+	/* success */
+	return item->buf->data[offset];
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_smbios_get_string:
  * @self: A #FuSmbios
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.h b/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.h
index a8084c351..4f3d13c31 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.h
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-smbios.h
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ const gchar	*fu_smbios_get_string		(FuSmbios	*self,
 						 guint8		 type,
 						 guint8		 offset,
 						 GError		**error);
+guint		 fu_smbios_get_integer		(FuSmbios	*self,
+						 guint8		 type,
+						 guint8		 offset,
+						 GError		**error);
 GBytes		*fu_smbios_get_data		(FuSmbios	*self,
 						 guint8		 type,
 						 GError		**error);
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
index 3242e4cfa..aca29f593 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
@@ -654,6 +654,7 @@ LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.5.0 {
     fu_security_attrs_new;
     fu_security_attrs_remove_all;
     fu_security_attrs_to_variant;
+    fu_smbios_get_integer;
     fu_udev_device_get_number;
     fu_udev_device_get_subsystem_model;
     fu_udev_device_get_subsystem_vendor;