diff --git a/common/options/decrypt.c b/common/options/decrypt.c
index d6e041db6..b9113073c 100644
--- a/common/options/decrypt.c
+++ b/common/options/decrypt.c
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ inspect_do_decrypt (guestfs_h *g)
   }
 
   if (need_rescan) {
-    if (guestfs_vgscan (g) == -1)
-      exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
-    if (guestfs_vg_activate_all (g, 1) == -1)
+    if (guestfs_lvm_scan (g, 1) == -1)
       exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   }
 }
diff --git a/daemon/lvm.c b/daemon/lvm.c
index 709a1e73b..4fe2c24e4 100644
--- a/daemon/lvm.c
+++ b/daemon/lvm.c
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #include "actions.h"
 #include "optgroups.h"
 
+#define MAX_ARGS 64
+
 int
 optgroup_lvm2_available (void)
 {
@@ -637,12 +639,28 @@ do_vglvuuids (const char *vgname)
 
 int
 do_vgscan (void)
+{
+  return do_lvm_scan (0);
+}
+
+int
+do_lvm_scan (int activate)
 {
   CLEANUP_FREE char *err = NULL;
   int r;
+  const char *argv[MAX_ARGS];
+  size_t i = 0;
 
-  r = command (NULL, &err,
-               "lvm", "vgscan", "--cache", NULL);
+  ADD_ARG (argv, i, "lvm");
+  ADD_ARG (argv, i, "pvscan");
+  ADD_ARG (argv, i, "--cache");
+  if (activate) {
+    ADD_ARG (argv, i, "--activate");
+    ADD_ARG (argv, i, "ay");
+  }
+  ADD_ARG (argv, i, NULL);
+
+  r = commandv (NULL, &err, (const char * const *) argv);
   if (r == -1) {
     reply_with_error ("%s", err);
     return -1;
diff --git a/format/format.c b/format/format.c
index 57f74669c..5453fc7e1 100644
--- a/format/format.c
+++ b/format/format.c
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ do_rescan (char **devices)
       errors++;
   }
 
-  if (guestfs_vgscan (g) == -1)
+  if (guestfs_lvm_scan (g, 1) == -1)
     errors++;
 
   guestfs_pop_error_handler (g);
diff --git a/generator/actions_core.ml b/generator/actions_core.ml
index 5fb49a14d..f237a3c8b 100644
--- a/generator/actions_core.ml
+++ b/generator/actions_core.ml
@@ -5245,18 +5245,6 @@ If blocks are already zero, then this command avoids writing
 zeroes.  This prevents the underlying device from becoming non-sparse
 or growing unnecessarily." };
 
-  { defaults with
-    name = "vgscan"; added = (1, 3, 2);
-    style = RErr, [], [];
-    tests = [
-      InitEmpty, Always, TestRun (
-        [["vgscan"]]), []
-    ];
-    shortdesc = "rescan for LVM physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes";
-    longdesc = "\
-This rescans all block devices and rebuilds the list of LVM
-physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes." };
-
   { defaults with
     name = "part_del"; added = (1, 3, 2);
     style = RErr, [String (Device, "device"); Int "partnum"], [];
@@ -5660,8 +5648,8 @@ Reads and writes to this block device are decrypted from and
 encrypted to the underlying C<device> respectively.
 
 If this block device contains LVM volume groups, then
-calling C<guestfs_vgscan> followed by C<guestfs_vg_activate_all>
-will make them visible.
+calling C<guestfs_lvm_scan> with the C<activate>
+parameter C<true> will make them visible.
 
 Use C<guestfs_list_dm_devices> to list all device mapper
 devices." };
@@ -9718,4 +9706,26 @@ before the partition." };
 This expands a f2fs filesystem to match the size of the underlying
 device." };
 
+  { defaults with
+    name = "lvm_scan"; added = (1, 39, 8);
+    style = RErr, [Bool "activate"], [];
+    tests = [
+      InitEmpty, Always, TestRun (
+        [["lvm_scan"; "true"]]), []
+    ];
+    shortdesc = "scan for LVM physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes";
+    longdesc = "\
+This scans all block devices and rebuilds the list of LVM
+physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes.
+
+If the C<activate> parameter is C<true> then newly found
+volume groups and logical volumes are activated, meaning
+the LV F</dev/VG/LV> devices become visible.
+
+When a libguestfs handle is launched it scans for existing
+devices, so you do not normally need to use this API.  However
+it is useful when you have added a new device or deleted an
+existing device (such as when the C<guestfs_luks_open> API
+is used)." };
+
 ]
diff --git a/generator/actions_core_deprecated.ml b/generator/actions_core_deprecated.ml
index 9a58b1df3..fafb9adad 100644
--- a/generator/actions_core_deprecated.ml
+++ b/generator/actions_core_deprecated.ml
@@ -834,4 +834,17 @@ is not large enough." };
 This command is the same as C<guestfs_ntfsresize> except that it
 allows you to specify the new size (in bytes) explicitly." };
 
+  { defaults with
+    name = "vgscan"; added = (1, 3, 2);
+    style = RErr, [], [];
+    deprecated_by = Replaced_by "lvm_scan";
+    tests = [
+      InitEmpty, Always, TestRun (
+        [["vgscan"]]), []
+    ];
+    shortdesc = "rescan for LVM physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes";
+    longdesc = "\
+This rescans all block devices and rebuilds the list of LVM
+physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes." };
+
 ]
diff --git a/generator/proc_nr.ml b/generator/proc_nr.ml
index ca73aa361..2adf8a32f 100644
--- a/generator/proc_nr.ml
+++ b/generator/proc_nr.ml
@@ -513,6 +513,7 @@ let proc_nr = [
 503, "part_set_gpt_attributes";
 504, "part_get_gpt_attributes";
 505, "f2fs_expand";
+506, "lvm_scan";
 ]
 
 (* End of list.  If adding a new entry, add it at the end of the list
diff --git a/lib/MAX_PROC_NR b/lib/MAX_PROC_NR
index f573e999a..80e3e6eab 100644
--- a/lib/MAX_PROC_NR
+++ b/lib/MAX_PROC_NR
@@ -1 +1 @@
-505
+506