diff --git a/WHATS_NEW_DM b/WHATS_NEW_DM
index c41bcfd83..514973bbb 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW_DM
+++ b/WHATS_NEW_DM
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 1.02.143 - 
 =================================
+  Accept minor number without major in library when it knows dm major number.
   Introduce single-line concise table output format: dmsetup table --concise
 
 Version 1.02.142 - 20th July 2017
diff --git a/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c b/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
index c47e08467..e32af80ef 100644
--- a/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
+++ b/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
@@ -1172,11 +1172,6 @@ static struct dm_ioctl *_flatten(struct dm_task *dmt, unsigned repeat_count)
 	dmi->data_start = sizeof(struct dm_ioctl);
 
 	if (dmt->minor >= 0) {
-		if (dmt->major <= 0) {
-			log_error("Missing major number for persistent device.");
-			goto bad;
-		}
-
 		if (!_dm_multiple_major_support && dmt->allow_default_major_fallback &&
 		    dmt->major != (int) _dm_device_major) {
 			log_verbose("Overriding major number of %d "
@@ -1185,6 +1180,11 @@ static struct dm_ioctl *_flatten(struct dm_task *dmt, unsigned repeat_count)
 			dmt->major = _dm_device_major;
 		}
 
+		if (dmt->major <= 0) {
+			log_error("Missing major number for persistent device.");
+			goto bad;
+		}
+
 		dmi->flags |= DM_PERSISTENT_DEV_FLAG;
 		dmi->dev = MKDEV((dev_t)dmt->major, (dev_t)dmt->minor);
 	}