diff --git a/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.c b/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.c
index ecae3d0479..f0ceb61a19 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct _virNodeDeviceObj {
     virNodeDeviceDefPtr def;            /* device definition */
     bool skipUpdateCaps;                /* whether to skip checking host caps,
                                            used by testdriver */
+    bool active;
 };
 
 struct _virNodeDeviceObjList {
@@ -976,3 +977,18 @@ virNodeDeviceObjSetSkipUpdateCaps(virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj,
 {
     obj->skipUpdateCaps = skipUpdateCaps;
 }
+
+
+bool
+virNodeDeviceObjIsActive(virNodeDeviceObj *obj)
+{
+    return obj->active;
+}
+
+
+void
+virNodeDeviceObjSetActive(virNodeDeviceObj *obj,
+                          bool active)
+{
+    obj->active = active;
+}
diff --git a/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.h b/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.h
index 6efdb23d36..e786a70f51 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.h
+++ b/src/conf/virnodedeviceobj.h
@@ -121,3 +121,10 @@ virNodeDeviceObjSetSkipUpdateCaps(virNodeDeviceObjPtr obj,
 virNodeDeviceObjPtr
 virNodeDeviceObjListFindMediatedDeviceByUUID(virNodeDeviceObjListPtr devs,
                                              const char *uuid);
+
+bool
+virNodeDeviceObjIsActive(virNodeDeviceObj *obj);
+
+void
+virNodeDeviceObjSetActive(virNodeDeviceObj *obj,
+                          bool active);
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index cb9fe7c80a..09957c943b 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1272,6 +1272,7 @@ virNetworkPortDefSaveStatus;
 # conf/virnodedeviceobj.h
 virNodeDeviceObjEndAPI;
 virNodeDeviceObjGetDef;
+virNodeDeviceObjIsActive;
 virNodeDeviceObjListAssignDef;
 virNodeDeviceObjListExport;
 virNodeDeviceObjListFindByName;
@@ -1284,6 +1285,7 @@ virNodeDeviceObjListGetParentHost;
 virNodeDeviceObjListNew;
 virNodeDeviceObjListNumOfDevices;
 virNodeDeviceObjListRemove;
+virNodeDeviceObjSetActive;
 
 
 # conf/virnwfilterbindingdef.h
diff --git a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
index 3daa5c90ad..373f36c41f 100644
--- a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
+++ b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
@@ -1544,6 +1544,7 @@ udevAddOneDevice(struct udev_device *device)
     else
         event = virNodeDeviceEventUpdateNew(objdef->name);
 
+    virNodeDeviceObjSetActive(obj, true);
     virNodeDeviceObjEndAPI(&obj);
 
     ret = 0;
@@ -1930,6 +1931,8 @@ udevSetupSystemDev(void)
     if (!(obj = virNodeDeviceObjListAssignDef(driver->devs, def)))
         goto cleanup;
 
+    virNodeDeviceObjSetActive(obj, true);
+
     virNodeDeviceObjEndAPI(&obj);
 
     ret = 0;