diff --git a/collect-smartctl-json.sh b/collect-smartctl-json.sh
index a658c37..3df5edd 100755
--- a/collect-smartctl-json.sh
+++ b/collect-smartctl-json.sh
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ for device in "${devices[@]}"
 	echo -n "Collecting data for '${device}'..."
 	# shellcheck disable=SC2086
 	data="$($SUDO smartctl ${smartctl_args} ${device})"
+	# Accommodate a smartmontools pre-7.3 bug
+	data=${data#"  Pending defect count:"}
 	type="$(echo "${data}" | "${json_tool}" "${json_args}" '.device.type')"
 	family="$(echo "${data}" | "${json_tool}" "${json_args}" \
 'select(.model_family != null) | .model_family | sub(" |/" ; "_" ; "g")
diff --git a/readjson.go b/readjson.go
index 079abab..e163dcb 100644
--- a/readjson.go
+++ b/readjson.go
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ func readSMARTctl(logger *slog.Logger, device Device) (gjson.Result, bool) {
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Warn("S.M.A.R.T. output reading", "err", err, "device", device.Info_Name)
 	}
-	json := parseJSON(string(out))
+	// Accommodate a smartmontools pre-7.3 bug
+	cleaned_out := strings.TrimPrefix(string(out), "  Pending defect count:")
+	json := parseJSON(cleaned_out)
 	rcOk := resultCodeIsOk(logger, device, json.Get("smartctl.exit_status").Int())
 	jsonOk := jsonIsOk(logger, json)
 	logger.Debug("Collected S.M.A.R.T. json data", "device", device.Info_Name, "duration", time.Since(start))