diff --git a/plugins/zte.c b/plugins/zte.c
index 4ed41917..ef1a33a9 100644
--- a/plugins/zte.c
+++ b/plugins/zte.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ static const char *none_prefix[] = { NULL };
 struct zte_data {
 	GAtChat *modem;
 	GAtChat *aux;
+	gboolean have_sim;
+	struct at_util_sim_state_query *sim_state_query;
 };
 
 static int zte_probe(struct ofono_modem *modem)
@@ -120,6 +122,19 @@ static GAtChat *open_device(struct ofono_modem *modem,
 	return chat;
 }
 
+static void sim_state_cb(gboolean present, gpointer user_data)
+{
+	struct ofono_modem *modem = user_data;
+	struct zte_data *data = ofono_modem_get_data(modem);
+
+	at_util_sim_state_query_free(data->sim_state_query);
+	data->sim_state_query = NULL;
+
+	data->have_sim = present;
+
+	ofono_modem_set_powered(modem, TRUE);
+}
+
 static void cfun_enable(gboolean ok, GAtResult *result, gpointer user_data)
 {
 	struct ofono_modem *modem = user_data;
@@ -142,7 +157,8 @@ static void cfun_enable(gboolean ok, GAtResult *result, gpointer user_data)
 	g_at_chat_send(data->modem, "AT&C0", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	g_at_chat_send(data->aux, "AT&C0", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
-	ofono_modem_set_powered(modem, TRUE);
+	data->sim_state_query = at_util_sim_state_query_new(data->aux,
+						2, 20, sim_state_cb, modem);
 }
 
 static int zte_enable(struct ofono_modem *modem)
@@ -246,7 +262,7 @@ static void zte_pre_sim(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 	sim = ofono_sim_create(modem, OFONO_VENDOR_QUALCOMM_MSM,
 						"atmodem", data->aux);
 
-	if (sim)
+	if (sim && data->have_sim == TRUE)
 		ofono_sim_inserted_notify(sim, TRUE);
 }