diff --git a/lib/activate/dev_manager.c b/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
index 48c0bf20d..5a53d22b1 100644
--- a/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
+++ b/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ static int _emit_target(struct dm_task *dmt, struct stripe_segment *seg)
 	}
 
 	for (s = 0; s < stripes; s++, w += tw) {
-		if (!seg->area[s].pv)
+		if (!seg->area[s].pv || !seg->area[s].pv->dev)
 			tw = lvm_snprintf(params + w, sizeof(params) - w,
 					  "%s 0%s", filler,
 					  s == (stripes - 1) ? "" : " ");
diff --git a/lib/device/device.h b/lib/device/device.h
index 6d165e963..66846bc3e 100644
--- a/lib/device/device.h
+++ b/lib/device/device.h
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ int dev_zero(struct device *dev, uint64_t offset, int64_t len);
 
 
 static inline const char *dev_name(struct device *dev) {
-	return list_item(dev->aliases.n, struct str_list)->str;
+	return (dev) ? list_item(dev->aliases.n, struct str_list)->str :
+		       "unknown device";
 }
 
 /* Return a valid device name from the alias list; NULL otherwise */
diff --git a/lib/format1/format1.c b/lib/format1/format1.c
index 89365b380..b09daa029 100644
--- a/lib/format1/format1.c
+++ b/lib/format1/format1.c
@@ -238,12 +238,6 @@ static int _vg_write(struct format_instance *fid, struct volume_group *vg,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (vg->status & PARTIAL_VG) {
-		log_error("Cannot change metadata for partial volume group %s",
-			  vg->name);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	list_init(&pvds);
 
 	r = (_flatten_vg(fid, mem, vg, &pvds, fid->fmt->cmd->dev_dir,
diff --git a/lib/format_text/import.c b/lib/format_text/import.c
index a8b28fa7a..c596118c0 100644
--- a/lib/format_text/import.c
+++ b/lib/format_text/import.c
@@ -91,13 +91,15 @@ static int _read_pv(struct format_instance *fid, struct pool *mem,
 	if (!(pv->dev = uuid_map_lookup(um, &pv->id))) {
 		char buffer[64];
 
-		if (!id_write_format(&pv->id, buffer, sizeof(buffer))) {
+		if (!id_write_format(&pv->id, buffer, sizeof(buffer)))
 			log_err("Couldn't find device.");
-			return 0;
-		}
+		else
+			log_err("Couldn't find device with uuid '%s'.", buffer);
 
-		log_err("Couldn't find device with uuid '%s'.", buffer);
-		return 0;
+		if (partial_mode())
+			vg->status |= PARTIAL_VG;
+		else
+			return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (!(pv->vg_name = pool_strdup(mem, vg->name))) {
@@ -610,6 +612,11 @@ static struct volume_group *_read_vg(struct format_instance *fid,
 
 	hash_destroy(pv_hash);
 
+	if (vg->status & PARTIAL_VG) {
+		vg->status &= ~LVM_WRITE;
+		vg->status |= LVM_READ;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Finished.
 	 */
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata.c b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
index aa5616fcd..00a3e7dee 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
@@ -362,6 +362,12 @@ int vg_write(struct volume_group *vg)
 	struct list *mdah;
 	void *mdl;
 
+	if (vg->status & PARTIAL_VG) {
+		log_error("Cannot change metadata for partial volume group %s",
+			  vg->name);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	vg->seqno++;
 
 	/* Write to each copy of the metadata area */
diff --git a/tools/commands.h b/tools/commands.h
index 5a940edbd..de61b96b5 100644
--- a/tools/commands.h
+++ b/tools/commands.h
@@ -226,10 +226,11 @@ xx(lvscan,
    "\t[-d|--debug] " "\n"
    "\t[-D|--disk]" "\n"
    "\t[-h|--help] " "\n"
+   "\t[-P|--partial] " "\n"
    "\t[-v|--verbose] " "\n"
    "\t[--version]\n",
 
-   blockdevice_ARG, disk_ARG)
+   blockdevice_ARG, disk_ARG, partial_ARG)
 
 xx(pvchange,
    "Change attributes of physical volume(s)",
@@ -327,12 +328,13 @@ xx(pvscan,
    "\t[-d|--debug] " "\n"
    "\t{-e|--exported | -n/--novolumegroup} " "\n"
    "\t[-h|--help]" "\n"
+   "\t[-P|--partial] " "\n"
    "\t[-s|--short] " "\n"
    "\t[-u|--uuid] " "\n"
    "\t[-v|--verbose] " "\n"
    "\t[--version]\n",
 
-   exported_ARG,  novolumegroup_ARG, short_ARG, uuid_ARG)
+   exported_ARG,  novolumegroup_ARG, partial_ARG, short_ARG, uuid_ARG)
 
 xx(vgcfgbackup,
    "Backup volume group configuration(s)",
@@ -520,7 +522,9 @@ xx(vgscan,
    "vgscan "
    "\t[-d/--debug]\n"
    "\t[-h/-?/--help]\n"
-   "\t[-v/--verbose]\n" )
+   "\t[-P/--partial] " "\n"
+   "\t[-v/--verbose]\n" ,
+   partial_ARG)
 
 xx(vgsplit,
    "Move physical volumes into a new volume group",