diff --git a/src/fu-device-locker.c b/src/fu-device-locker.c
index cc9e66eb5..b032baae9 100644
--- a/src/fu-device-locker.c
+++ b/src/fu-device-locker.c
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ fu_device_locker_init (FuDeviceLocker *self)
  * manually closed using g_clear_object().
  *
  * The functions used for opening and closing the device are set automatically.
- * If the @device is not a type or supertype of #GUsbDevice or #FuUsbDevice
- * then this function will not work.
+ * If the @device is not a type or supertype of #GUsbDevice, #FuUsbDevice or
+ * #FuDevice then this function will not work.
  *
  * For custom objects please use fu_device_locker_new_full().
  *
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ fu_device_locker_new (gpointer device, GError **error)
 						  (FuDeviceLockerFunc) fu_usb_device_close,
 						  error);
 	}
+
+	/* FuDevice */
+	if (FU_IS_DEVICE (device)) {
+		return fu_device_locker_new_full (device,
+						  (FuDeviceLockerFunc) fu_device_open,
+						  (FuDeviceLockerFunc) fu_device_close,
+						  error);
+	}
 	g_set_error_literal (error,
 			     G_IO_ERROR,
 			     G_IO_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
diff --git a/src/fu-device.c b/src/fu-device.c
index dba9150dc..b010ed2fd 100644
--- a/src/fu-device.c
+++ b/src/fu-device.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	guint				 progress;
 	guint				 order;
 	guint				 priority;
+	gboolean			 done_probe;
 } FuDevicePrivate;
 
 enum {
@@ -1243,6 +1244,101 @@ fu_device_attach (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
 	return klass->attach (device, error);
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_device_open:
+ * @device: A #FuDevice
+ * @error: A #GError, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Opens a device, optionally running a object-specific vfunc.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE for success
+ *
+ * Since: 1.1.2
+ **/
+gboolean
+fu_device_open (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
+{
+	FuDeviceClass *klass = FU_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (device);
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (error == NULL || *error == NULL, FALSE);
+
+	/* probe */
+	if (!fu_device_probe (device, error))
+		return FALSE;
+
+	/* subclassed */
+	if (klass->open != NULL) {
+		if (!klass->open (device, error))
+			return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	/* success */
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+/**
+ * fu_device_open:
+ * @device: A #FuDevice
+ * @error: A #GError, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Closes a device, optionally running a object-specific vfunc.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE for success
+ *
+ * Since: 1.1.2
+ **/
+gboolean
+fu_device_close (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
+{
+	FuDeviceClass *klass = FU_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (device);
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (error == NULL || *error == NULL, FALSE);
+
+	/* subclassed */
+	if (klass->close != NULL) {
+		if (!klass->close (device, error))
+			return FALSE;
+	}
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+/**
+ * fu_device_probe:
+ * @device: A #FuDevice
+ * @error: A #GError, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Probes a device, setting parameters on the object that does not need
+ * the device open or the interface claimed.
+ * If the device is not compatible then an error should be returned.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE for success
+ *
+ * Since: 1.1.2
+ **/
+gboolean
+fu_device_probe (FuDevice *device, GError **error)
+{
+	FuDevicePrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (device);
+	FuDeviceClass *klass = FU_DEVICE_GET_CLASS (device);
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail (FU_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
+	g_return_val_if_fail (error == NULL || *error == NULL, FALSE);
+
+	/* already done */
+	if (priv->done_probe)
+		return TRUE;
+
+	/* subclassed */
+	if (klass->probe != NULL) {
+		if (!klass->probe (device, error))
+			return FALSE;
+	}
+	priv->done_probe = TRUE;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_device_incorporate:
  * @device: A #FuDevice
diff --git a/src/fu-device.h b/src/fu-device.h
index 9f637bc2f..8a0db1e17 100644
--- a/src/fu-device.h
+++ b/src/fu-device.h
@@ -31,8 +31,14 @@ struct _FuDeviceClass
 							 GError		**error);
 	gboolean		 (*attach)		(FuDevice	*device,
 							 GError		**error);
+	gboolean		 (*open)		(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
+	gboolean		 (*close)		(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
+	gboolean		 (*probe)		(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
 	/*< private >*/
-	gpointer	padding[28];
+	gpointer	padding[25];
 };
 
 /**
@@ -172,6 +178,12 @@ gboolean	 fu_device_detach			(FuDevice	*device,
 							 GError		**error);
 void		 fu_device_incorporate			(FuDevice	*self,
 							 FuDevice	*donor);
+gboolean	 fu_device_open				(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_device_close			(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_device_probe			(FuDevice	*device,
+							 GError		**error);
 
 G_END_DECLS