diff --git a/sbin/newfs/newfs.c b/sbin/newfs/newfs.c
index b950f51aa89a..c122a2e2f933 100644
--- a/sbin/newfs/newfs.c
+++ b/sbin/newfs/newfs.c
@@ -166,7 +166,6 @@ int	Uflag;			/* enable soft updates for file system */
 int	fssize;			/* file system size */
 int	ntracks = NTRACKS;	/* # tracks/cylinder */
 int	nsectors = NSECTORS;	/* # sectors/track */
-int	ncyls;			/* # complete cylinders */
 int	nphyssectors;		/* # sectors/track including spares */
 int	secpercyl;		/* sectors per cylinder */
 int	trackspares = -1;	/* spare sectors per track */
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ int	headswitch;		/* head switch time, usec */
 int	trackseek;		/* track-to-track seek, usec */
 int	fsize = 0;		/* fragment size */
 int	bsize = 0;		/* block size */
-int	cpg = 0;		/* cylinders/cylinder group */
+int	cpg = DESCPG;		/* cylinders/cylinder group */
 int	cpgflg;			/* cylinders/cylinder group flag was given */
 int	minfree = MINFREE;	/* free space threshold */
 int	opt = DEFAULTOPT;	/* optimization preference (space or time) */
@@ -545,17 +544,6 @@ main(argc, argv)
 		pp->p_size *= secperblk;
 	}
 #endif
-	ncyls = fssize / secpercyl;
-	if (ncyls == 0)
-		ncyls = 1;	/* XXX */
-	if (cpg == 0)
-		cpg = DESCPG < ncyls ? DESCPG : ncyls;
-	else if (cpg > ncyls) {
-		cpg = ncyls;
-		printf(
-		"Number of cylinders restricts cylinders per group to %d.\n",
-		    cpg);
-	}
 	mkfs(pp, special, fsi, fso);
 #ifdef tahoe
 	if (realsectorsize != DEV_BSIZE)