diff --git a/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c b/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
index 9030d6f6a..536e42304 100644
--- a/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
+++ b/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
@@ -375,6 +375,8 @@ fu_plugin_thunderbolt_add (FuPlugin *plugin, GUdevDevice *device)
 	if (is_host)
 		fu_device_add_flag (dev, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_INTERNAL);
 
+	/* we never open the device, so convert the instance IDs */
+	fu_device_setup (dev, NULL);
 	fu_plugin_cache_add (plugin, id, dev);
 	fu_plugin_device_add (plugin, dev);