diff --git a/backends/zif/pk-backend-zif.c b/backends/zif/pk-backend-zif.c
index 9416ccad4..8fb57798e 100644
--- a/backends/zif/pk-backend-zif.c
+++ b/backends/zif/pk-backend-zif.c
@@ -3699,6 +3699,14 @@ pk_backend_run_transaction (PkBackend *backend, ZifState *state)
 					   1, /* check trusted */
 					   5, /* print packages */
 					   -1);
+	} else if (pk_bitfield_contain (transaction_flags,
+					PK_TRANSACTION_FLAG_ENUM_PREPARE)) {
+		ret = zif_state_set_steps (state,
+					   NULL,
+					   30, /* resolve */
+					   1, /* check trusted */
+					   69, /* prepare */
+					   -1);
 	} else {
 		ret = zif_state_set_steps (state,
 					   NULL,
@@ -3851,6 +3859,13 @@ pk_backend_run_transaction (PkBackend *backend, ZifState *state)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/* we're only preparing the transaction for later */
+	if (pk_bitfield_contain (transaction_flags,
+				 PK_TRANSACTION_FLAG_ENUM_PREPARE)) {
+		g_debug ("exit after downloading as transaction is prepare");
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	/* commit the transaction */
 	state_local = zif_state_get_child (state);
 #if ZIF_CHECK_VERSION(0,2,5)