diff --git a/src/drivers/hmc5883/hmc5883.cpp b/src/drivers/hmc5883/hmc5883.cpp
index a7763c1200..0dd18a53a1 100644
--- a/src/drivers/hmc5883/hmc5883.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/hmc5883/hmc5883.cpp
@@ -370,6 +370,10 @@ HMC5883::HMC5883(device::Device *interface, const char *path, enum Rotation rota
 	_temperature_counter(0),
 	_temperature_error_count(0)
 {
+	// set the device type from the interface
+	_device_id.devid_s.bus_type = _interface->get_device_bus_type();
+	_device_id.devid_s.bus = _interface->get_device_bus();
+	_device_id.devid_s.address = _interface->get_device_address();
 	_device_id.devid_s.devtype = DRV_MAG_DEVTYPE_HMC5883;
 
 	// enable debug() calls