diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
index 0bc20eaae..3232ee227 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.c
@@ -3208,7 +3208,17 @@ fu_device_set_battery_threshold(FuDevice *self, guint battery_threshold)
 	fu_device_ensure_battery_inhibit(self);
 }
 
-static void
+/**
+ * fu_device_add_string:
+ * @self: a #FuDevice
+ * @idt: indent level
+ * @str: a string to append to
+ *
+ * Add daemon-specific device metadata to an existing string.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.7.1
+ **/
+void
 fu_device_add_string(FuDevice *self, guint idt, GString *str)
 {
 	GPtrArray *children;
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.h b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.h
index b6d1f8bce..0c275a0ff 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.h
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fu-device.h
@@ -403,6 +403,8 @@ typedef guint64 FuDeviceInternalFlags;
 /* accessors */
 gchar *
 fu_device_to_string(FuDevice *self);
+void
+fu_device_add_string(FuDevice *self, guint idt, GString *str);
 const gchar *
 fu_device_get_alternate_id(FuDevice *self);
 void
diff --git a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
index 73874fd8b..817477797 100644
--- a/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
+++ b/libfwupdplugin/fwupdplugin.map
@@ -929,5 +929,6 @@ LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.7.1 {
   global:
     fu_common_check_full_disk_encryption;
     fu_common_mkdir;
+    fu_device_add_string;
   local: *;
 } LIBFWUPDPLUGIN_1.7.0;