diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index a4b955c..3a08154 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -84,22 +84,6 @@ pub fn check_threads(threads: usize) {
     }
 }
 
-#[doc(hidden)]
-fn valid_kmer_min(s: &str) -> Result<u16, String> {
-    if s.eq("auto") {
-        Ok(0)
-    } else {
-        let k: u16 = s
-            .parse()
-            .map_err(|_| format!("`{s}` isn't a valid minimum kmer count"))?;
-        if k.ge(&5) {
-            Ok(k)
-        } else {
-            Err("minimum kmer count must be >= 5".to_string())
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 /// Possible output file types
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, ValueEnum)]
 pub enum FileType {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index fbd3c1a..ebcd5a5 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -562,11 +562,11 @@ pub fn main() {
                 // User has provided something other than auto, attempt to parse to u16
                 Some(s) => {
                     let k: u16 = s.parse().expect("Invalid minimum kmer count");
-                    if k.ge(&5) {
+                    if k.ge(&1) {
                         log::info!("Using provided minimum kmer value of {}", k);
                         k
                     } else {
-                        panic!("Minimum kmer count must be >= 5");
+                        panic!("Minimum kmer count must be >= 1");
                     }
                 }
                 // Value not provided, use default