diff --git a/cmdline/device.c b/cmdline/device.c
index fc3a733a..8d2289d2 100644
--- a/cmdline/device.c
+++ b/cmdline/device.c
@@ -739,14 +739,13 @@ static void state_smart(unsigned n, tommy_list* low)
 		if (flag & (SMARTCTL_FLAG_FAIL | SMARTCTL_FLAG_PREFAIL | SMARTCTL_FLAG_PREFAIL_LOGGED))
 			make_it_fail = 1;
 
+		/* note that in older smartmontools, like 5.x, rotation rate is not present */
+		/* and then it could remain unassigned */
+
 		if (flag & (SMARTCTL_FLAG_UNSUPPORTED | SMARTCTL_FLAG_OPEN)) {
 			/* if error running smartctl, skip AFR estimation */
 			afr = 0;
 			printf("  n/a");
-		} else if (devinfo->smart[SMART_ROTATION_RATE] == SMART_UNASSIGNED) {
-			/* if no rotation rate, we don't know if it's SSD or not */
-			afr = 0;
-			printf("  n/k");
 		} else if (devinfo->smart[SMART_ROTATION_RATE] == 0) {
 			/* if SSD, skip AFR estimation as data is from not SSD disks */
 			afr = 0;