diff --git a/tools/command-lines.in b/tools/command-lines.in
index 10b23e75d..23ea33e6d 100644
--- a/tools/command-lines.in
+++ b/tools/command-lines.in
@@ -1747,7 +1747,7 @@ DESC: Start or stop processing LV conversions.
 
 vgchange --activate Active
 OO: --activationmode ActivationMode, --ignoreactivationskip, --partial, --sysinit,
---readonly, --ignorelockingfailure, --monitor Bool, --poll Bool, OO_VGCHANGE
+--readonly, --ignorelockingfailure, --monitor Bool, --poll Bool, --vgonline, OO_VGCHANGE
 OP: VG|Tag|Select ...
 IO: --ignoreskippedcluster
 ID: vgchange_activate
diff --git a/tools/pvscan.c b/tools/pvscan.c
index 75a08d325..ada1f07fe 100644
--- a/tools/pvscan.c
+++ b/tools/pvscan.c
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ static int _count_pvid_files_from_lookup_file(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct de
 	return (vgname) ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
-static void _online_dir_setup(struct cmd_context *cmd)
+void online_dir_setup(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	int rv;
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ static int _pvscan_aa_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name,
 	return ECMD_PROCESSED;
 }
 
-static int _online_vg_file_create(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vgname)
+int online_vg_file_create(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vgname)
 {
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	int fd;
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ static int _pvscan_aa(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct pvscan_aa_params *pp,
 	 * to run the activation.  The first to create the file will do it.
 	 */
 	dm_list_iterate_items_safe(sl, sl2, vgnames) {
-		if (!_online_vg_file_create(cmd, sl->str)) {
+		if (!online_vg_file_create(cmd, sl->str)) {
 			log_print_pvscan(cmd, "VG %s skip autoactivation.", sl->str);
 			str_list_del(vgnames, sl->str);
 			continue;
@@ -1497,7 +1497,7 @@ static int _online_devs(struct cmd_context *cmd, int do_all, struct dm_list *pvs
 			} else if (!do_check_complete) {
 				log_print("VG %s", vgname);
 			} else if (vg_complete) {
-				if (do_vgonline && !_online_vg_file_create(cmd, vgname)) {
+				if (do_vgonline && !online_vg_file_create(cmd, vgname)) {
 					log_print("VG %s finished", vgname);
 				} else {
 					/*
@@ -1919,7 +1919,7 @@ int pvscan_cache_cmd(struct cmd_context *cmd, int argc, char **argv)
 
 	do_all = !argc && !devno_args;
 
-	_online_dir_setup(cmd);
+	online_dir_setup(cmd);
 
 	if (do_all) {
 		if (!_pvscan_cache_all(cmd, argc, argv, &complete_vgnames))
diff --git a/tools/tools.h b/tools/tools.h
index bc98fcb09..e2661f272 100644
--- a/tools/tools.h
+++ b/tools/tools.h
@@ -296,5 +296,7 @@ int lvconvert_cachevol_attach_single(struct cmd_context *cmd,
                                      struct processing_handle *handle);
 
 void online_vg_file_remove(const char *vgname);
+int online_vg_file_create(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vgname);
+void online_dir_setup(struct cmd_context *cmd);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tools/vgchange.c b/tools/vgchange.c
index e4b57dbd2..985907a02 100644
--- a/tools/vgchange.c
+++ b/tools/vgchange.c
@@ -262,6 +262,11 @@ int vgchange_activate(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct volume_group *vg,
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (arg_is_set(cmd, vgonline_ARG) && !online_vg_file_create(cmd, vg->name)) {
+		log_print("VG %s finished", vg->name);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	if (!_activate_lvs_in_vg(cmd, vg, activate)) {
 		stack;
 		r = 0;
@@ -699,6 +704,9 @@ static int _vgchange_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name,
 		log_print_unless_silent("Volume group \"%s\" successfully changed", vg->name);
 	}
 
+	if (arg_is_set(cmd, vgonline_ARG))
+		online_dir_setup(cmd);
+
 	if (arg_is_set(cmd, activate_ARG)) {
 		activate = (activation_change_t) arg_uint_value(cmd, activate_ARG, 0);
 		if (!vgchange_activate(cmd, vg, activate))