diff --git a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
index cf5704d7a..4ddcd7f29 100644
--- a/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
+++ b/libfwupd/fwupd-enums.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	FU_DEVICE_FLAG_INTERNAL		= 1 << 0,	/* Since: 0.1.3 */
 	FU_DEVICE_FLAG_ALLOW_ONLINE	= 1 << 1,	/* Since: 0.1.3 */
 	FU_DEVICE_FLAG_ALLOW_OFFLINE	= 1 << 2,	/* Since: 0.1.3 */
+	FU_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC	= 1 << 3,	/* Since: 0.6.3 */
 	/* private */
 	FU_DEVICE_FLAG_LAST
 } FwupdDeviceFlags;
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index 5a34b17f1..692040ff8 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -326,6 +326,36 @@ fu_main_helper_free (FuMainAuthHelper *helper)
 	g_free (helper);
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_main_on_battery:
+ **/
+static gboolean
+fu_main_on_battery (void)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GDBusProxy) proxy = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GVariant) value = NULL;
+
+	proxy = g_dbus_proxy_new_for_bus_sync (G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM,
+					       G_DBUS_PROXY_FLAGS_DO_NOT_CONNECT_SIGNALS,
+					       NULL,
+					       "org.freedesktop.UPower",
+					       "/org/freedesktop/UPower",
+					       "org.freedesktop.UPower",
+					       NULL,
+					       &error);
+	if (proxy == NULL) {
+		g_warning ("Failed to conect UPower: %s", error->message);
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	value = g_dbus_proxy_get_cached_property (proxy, "OnBattery");
+	if (value == NULL) {
+		g_warning ("Failed to get OnBattery property value");
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	return g_variant_get_boolean (value);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_main_provider_update_authenticated:
  **/
@@ -345,6 +375,18 @@ fu_main_provider_update_authenticated (FuMainAuthHelper *helper, GError **error)
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
+	/* can we only do this on AC power */
+	if (fu_device_get_flags (item->device) & FU_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC) {
+		if (fu_main_on_battery ()) {
+			g_set_error_literal (error,
+					     FWUPD_ERROR,
+					     FWUPD_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+					     "Cannot install update "
+					     "when not on AC power");
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* run the correct provider that added this */
 	if (!fu_provider_update (item->provider,
 				 item->device,
diff --git a/src/fu-provider-rpi.c b/src/fu-provider-rpi.c
index ea3596601..3d792b963 100644
--- a/src/fu-provider-rpi.c
+++ b/src/fu-provider-rpi.c
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ fu_provider_rpi_coldplug (FuProvider *provider, GError **error)
 	fu_device_add_flag (device, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_INTERNAL);
 	fu_device_add_flag (device, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_ALLOW_OFFLINE);
 	fu_device_add_flag (device, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_ALLOW_ONLINE);
+	fu_device_add_flag (device, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC);
 
 	/* get the VC build info */
 	if (!fu_provider_rpi_parse_firmware (device, fwfn, error))
diff --git a/src/fu-provider-uefi.c b/src/fu-provider-uefi.c
index 565e38433..99a561de8 100644
--- a/src/fu-provider-uefi.c
+++ b/src/fu-provider-uefi.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ fu_provider_uefi_coldplug (FuProvider *provider, GError **error)
 		}
 		fu_device_add_flag (dev, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_INTERNAL);
 		fu_device_add_flag (dev, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_ALLOW_OFFLINE);
+		fu_device_add_flag (dev, FU_DEVICE_FLAG_REQUIRE_AC);
 		fu_provider_device_add (provider, dev);
 	}
 	fwup_resource_iter_destroy (&iter);