diff --git a/src/fu-firmware.c b/src/fu-firmware.c
index ddd7afbb3..f724fd5bd 100644
--- a/src/fu-firmware.c
+++ b/src/fu-firmware.c
@@ -121,6 +121,31 @@ fu_firmware_parse (FuFirmware *self, GBytes *fw, FwupdInstallFlags flags, GError
 	return fu_firmware_parse_full (self, fw, 0x0, 0x0, flags, error);
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_firmware_parse_file:
+ * @self: A #FuFirmware
+ * @file: A #GFile
+ * @flags: some #FwupdInstallFlags, e.g. %FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_FORCE
+ * @error: A #GError, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Parses a firmware file, typically breaking the firmware into images.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE for success
+ *
+ * Since: 1.3.3
+ **/
+gboolean
+fu_firmware_parse_file (FuFirmware *self, GFile *file, FwupdInstallFlags flags, GError **error)
+{
+	gchar *buf = NULL;
+	gsize bufsz = 0;
+	g_autoptr(GBytes) fw = NULL;
+	if (!g_file_load_contents (file, NULL, &buf, &bufsz, NULL, error))
+		return FALSE;
+	fw = g_bytes_new_take (buf, bufsz);
+	return fu_firmware_parse (self, fw, flags, error);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_firmware_write:
  * @self: A #FuFirmware
@@ -148,6 +173,33 @@ fu_firmware_write (FuFirmware *self, GError **error)
 	return fu_firmware_get_image_default_bytes (self, error);
 }
 
+/**
+ * fu_firmware_write_file:
+ * @self: A #FuFirmware
+ * @file: A #GFile
+ * @error: A #GError, or %NULL
+ *
+ * Writes a firmware, typically packing the images into a binary blob.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE for success
+ *
+ * Since: 1.3.3
+ **/
+gboolean
+fu_firmware_write_file (FuFirmware *self, GFile *file, GError **error)
+{
+	g_autoptr(GBytes) blob = NULL;
+	blob = fu_firmware_write (self, error);
+	if (blob == NULL)
+		return FALSE;
+	return g_file_replace_contents (file,
+					g_bytes_get_data (blob, NULL),
+					g_bytes_get_size (blob),
+					NULL, FALSE,
+					G_FILE_CREATE_NONE,
+					NULL, NULL, error);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_firmware_add_image:
  * @self: a #FuPlugin
diff --git a/src/fu-firmware.h b/src/fu-firmware.h
index c080a4b1d..77636d745 100644
--- a/src/fu-firmware.h
+++ b/src/fu-firmware.h
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ gboolean	 fu_firmware_parse			(FuFirmware	*self,
 							 GBytes		*fw,
 							 FwupdInstallFlags flags,
 							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_firmware_parse_file			(FuFirmware	*self,
+							 GFile		*file,
+							 FwupdInstallFlags flags,
+							 GError		**error);
 gboolean	 fu_firmware_parse_full			(FuFirmware	*self,
 							 GBytes		*fw,
 							 guint64	 addr_start,
@@ -56,6 +60,9 @@ gboolean	 fu_firmware_parse_full			(FuFirmware	*self,
 							 GError		**error);
 GBytes		*fu_firmware_write			(FuFirmware	*self,
 							 GError		**error);
+gboolean	 fu_firmware_write_file			(FuFirmware	*self,
+							 GFile		*file,
+							 GError		**error);
 
 void		 fu_firmware_add_image			(FuFirmware	*self,
 							 FuFirmwareImage *image);