diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
index 3907f22a3..02b35c029 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.c
@@ -321,7 +321,16 @@ fwupd_client_set_host_security_id(FwupdClient *self, const gchar *host_security_
 	fwupd_client_object_notify(self, "host-security-id");
 }
 
-static void
+/**
+ * fwupd_client_set_daemon_version:
+ * @self: a #FwupdClient
+ * @daemon_version: A semantic version, e.g. "1.2.3"
+ *
+ * Sets the daemon version number.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.8.11
+ **/
+void
 fwupd_client_set_daemon_version(FwupdClient *self, const gchar *daemon_version)
 {
 	FwupdClientPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE(self);
@@ -5035,6 +5044,7 @@ fwupd_client_set_user_agent_for_package(FwupdClient *self,
 	g_return_if_fail(FWUPD_IS_CLIENT(self));
 	g_return_if_fail(package_name != NULL);
 	g_return_if_fail(package_version != NULL);
+	g_return_if_fail(priv->daemon_version != NULL);
 
 	/* application name and version */
 	g_string_append_printf(str, "%s/%s", package_name, package_version);
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
index f4952c458..15771f558 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-client.h
@@ -435,6 +435,8 @@ guint
 fwupd_client_get_percentage(FwupdClient *self);
 const gchar *
 fwupd_client_get_daemon_version(FwupdClient *self);
+void
+fwupd_client_set_daemon_version(FwupdClient *self, const gchar *daemon_version);
 const gchar *
 fwupd_client_get_host_bkc(FwupdClient *self);
 const gchar *
diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd.map b/libfwupd/fwupd.map
index 3405fb93f..7d856954f 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd.map
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd.map
@@ -916,6 +916,7 @@ LIBFWUPD_1.8.11 {
     fwupd_client_quit;
     fwupd_client_quit_async;
     fwupd_client_quit_finish;
+    fwupd_client_set_daemon_version;
     fwupd_client_uninhibit;
     fwupd_client_uninhibit_async;
     fwupd_client_uninhibit_finish;
diff --git a/src/fu-tool.c b/src/fu-tool.c
index 9eb4c7e7c..31532edfb 100644
--- a/src/fu-tool.c
+++ b/src/fu-tool.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "fwupd-bios-setting-private.h"
+#include "fwupd-client-private.h"
 #include "fwupd-common-private.h"
 #include "fwupd-device-private.h"
 #include "fwupd-enums-private.h"
@@ -3657,6 +3658,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* used for monitoring and downloading */
 	priv->client = fwupd_client_new();
 	fwupd_client_set_main_context(priv->client, priv->main_ctx);
+	fwupd_client_set_daemon_version(priv->client, PACKAGE_VERSION);
 	fwupd_client_set_user_agent_for_package(priv->client, "fwupdtool", PACKAGE_VERSION);
 	g_signal_connect(FWUPD_CLIENT(priv->client),
 			 "notify::percentage",