diff --git a/plugins/thunderbolt/Makefile.am b/plugins/thunderbolt/Makefile.am
index f8c72592b..0fc7f1238 100644
--- a/plugins/thunderbolt/Makefile.am
+++ b/plugins/thunderbolt/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ libfu_plugin_thunderbolt_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 libfu_plugin_thunderbolt_la_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS)	\
 	-DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"FuPluginThunderbolt\"
 
+if HAVE_DELL
+AM_CPPFLAGS +=						\
+	$(LIBSMBIOS_CFLAGS)
+libfu_plugin_thunderbolt_la_LIBADD =			\
+	$(LIBSMBIOS_LIBS)
+endif
+
 EXTRA_DIST = README.md
 
 -include $(top_srcdir)/git.mk
diff --git a/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c b/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
index 637bd4c34..6ef2ac8fa 100644
--- a/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
+++ b/plugins/thunderbolt/fu-plugin-thunderbolt.c
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
 #define FU_PLUGIN_THUNDERBOLT_MAX_ID_LEN	255
 #define FU_PLUGIN_THUNDERBOLT_DAEMON_DELAY	3000	/* ms */
 
+#ifdef HAVE_DELL
+#include <smbios_c/system_info.h>
+#include <smbios_c/smbios.h>
+#endif /* HAVE_DELL */
+
 struct FuPluginData {
 	/* A handle on a list of libtbtfwu controller objects.  These must
 	 * eventually be freed.
@@ -129,6 +134,10 @@ fu_plugin_thunderbolt_rescan (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 		g_autofree gchar *guid_id = NULL;
 		g_autofree gchar *version = NULL;
 		gint safe_mode = 0;
+#ifdef HAVE_DELL
+		guint8 dell_supported;
+		struct smbios_struct *de_table;
+#endif /* HAVE_DELL */
 
 		/* get the ID */
 		rc = tbt_fwu_Controller_getID (data->controllers[i],
@@ -168,6 +177,18 @@ fu_plugin_thunderbolt_rescan (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 				   "Please visit https://github.com/01org/tbtfwupd/wiki "
 				   "for information on how to restore normal operation.",
 				   info->id);
+
+			/* Dell systems are known to have the system ID as the model_id
+			   when in safe mode, they can be flashed */
+#ifdef HAVE_DELL
+			de_table = smbios_get_next_struct_by_type (0, 0xDE);
+			smbios_struct_get_data (de_table, &dell_supported, 0x00, sizeof(guint8));
+			if (dell_supported == 0xDE) {
+				info->vendor_id = 0x00d4;
+				info->model_id = sysinfo_get_dell_system_id ();
+				safe_mode = 0;
+			}
+#endif /* HAVE_DELL */
 		} else {
 			/* get the vendor ID */
 			rc = tbt_fwu_Controller_getVendorID (data->controllers[i],