diff --git a/plugins/synaptics-prometheus/fu-synaprom-config.c b/plugins/synaptics-prometheus/fu-synaprom-config.c
index 3a4c7c278..480c1a517 100644
--- a/plugins/synaptics-prometheus/fu-synaprom-config.c
+++ b/plugins/synaptics-prometheus/fu-synaprom-config.c
@@ -251,13 +251,7 @@ fu_synaprom_config_detach (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 static void
 fu_synaprom_config_flags_notify_cb (FuDevice *parent, GParamSpec *pspec, FuDevice *device)
 {
-	if (fu_device_has_flag (parent, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER)) {
-		g_debug ("parent set IS_BOOTLOADER, mirroring to child");
-		fu_device_add_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
-	} else {
-		g_debug ("parent unset IS_BOOTLOADER, mirroring to child");
-		fu_device_remove_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
-	}
+	fu_device_incorporate_flag (device, parent, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_IS_BOOTLOADER);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/fu-device.c b/src/fu-device.c
index e08f38c6e..6f507a2f6 100644
--- a/src/fu-device.c
+++ b/src/fu-device.c
@@ -2607,6 +2607,28 @@ fu_device_incorporate (FuDevice *self, FuDevice *donor)
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_device_incorporate_flag:
+ * @self: A #FuDevice
+ * @donor: Another #FuDevice
+ * @flag: A #FwupdDeviceFlags value
+ *
+ * Copy the value of a specific flag from the donor object.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.3.5
+ **/
+void
+fu_device_incorporate_flag (FuDevice *self, FuDevice *donor, FwupdDeviceFlags flag)
+{
+	if (fu_device_has_flag (donor, flag) && !fu_device_has_flag (self, flag)) {
+		g_debug ("donor set %s", fwupd_device_flag_to_string (flag));
+		fu_device_add_flag (self, flag);
+	} else if (!fu_device_has_flag (donor, flag) && fu_device_has_flag (self, flag)) {
+		g_debug ("donor unset %s", fwupd_device_flag_to_string (flag));
+		fu_device_remove_flag (self, flag);
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_device_incorporate_from_component:
  * @device: A #FuDevice
diff --git a/src/fu-device.h b/src/fu-device.h
index 7cd710090..1fffc23fc 100644
--- a/src/fu-device.h
+++ b/src/fu-device.h
@@ -246,6 +246,9 @@ gboolean	 fu_device_cleanup			(FuDevice	*self,
 							 GError		**error);
 void		 fu_device_incorporate			(FuDevice	*self,
 							 FuDevice	*donor);
+void		 fu_device_incorporate_flag		(FuDevice	*self,
+							 FuDevice	*donor,
+							 FwupdDeviceFlags flag);
 gboolean	 fu_device_open				(FuDevice	*self,
 							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_device_close			(FuDevice	*self,