diff --git a/srv/salt/_modules/cephdisks.py b/srv/salt/_modules/cephdisks.py
index 11f41098d..fbde054d5 100644
--- a/srv/salt/_modules/cephdisks.py
+++ b/srv/salt/_modules/cephdisks.py
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ def device_(devicename, pathname=None, match=None):
         _devices = _stdout.split()
         index = _prefer_underscores(_devices)
         return _devices[index]
-    return ""
+    return devicename
 
 
 def _match_setting(match):
diff --git a/srv/salt/_modules/osd.py b/srv/salt/_modules/osd.py
index a409dfe42..163adb4da 100644
--- a/srv/salt/_modules/osd.py
+++ b/srv/salt/_modules/osd.py
@@ -1816,18 +1816,18 @@ def osd_fsid(self, osd_id):
             log.error("file {} is missing".format(filename))
             return None
 
-    # pylint: disable=no-self-use
-    def _uuid_device(self, device, pathname="/dev/disk/by-id"):
+    # pylint: disable=no-self-use, no-else-return
+    def _uuid_device(self, device):
         """
         Return the uuid device, prefer the most descriptive
         """
         if os.path.exists(device):
-            if os.path.exists(pathname):
-                devicename = __salt__['cephdisks.device'](device)
-                if devicename:
-                    return devicename
+            devicename = __salt__['cephdisks.device'](device)
+            # if the devicename and device are the same, cephdisks.device did not find any symlinks
+            if devicename != device:
+                return devicename
+            else:
                 return readlink(device)
-            return readlink(device)
         return None
 
 
diff --git a/srv/salt/_modules/proposal.py b/srv/salt/_modules/proposal.py
index bf2062d23..7ac60b9d7 100644
--- a/srv/salt/_modules/proposal.py
+++ b/srv/salt/_modules/proposal.py
@@ -236,10 +236,7 @@ def _device(drive):
     """
     Default to Device File value.  Prefer most descriptive.
     """
-    devicename = __salt__['cephdisks.device'](drive['Device File'])
-    if devicename:
-        return devicename
-    return drive['Device File']
+    return __salt__['cephdisks.device'](drive['Device File'])
 
 
 def generate(**kwargs):
diff --git a/tests/unit/_modules/test_cephdisks.py b/tests/unit/_modules/test_cephdisks.py
index a94e3b5de..147491096 100644
--- a/tests/unit/_modules/test_cephdisks.py
+++ b/tests/unit/_modules/test_cephdisks.py
@@ -420,14 +420,14 @@ def test_device_matches(self, pu, ms, ps):
         pu.return_value = -1
         cephdisks.__salt__ = {}
         cephdisks.__salt__['helper.run'] = mock.Mock()
-        cephdisks.__salt__['helper.run'].return_value = (0, '/dev/sda', "")
+        cephdisks.__salt__['helper.run'].return_value = (0, '/dev/disk/by-id/sda', "")
         ret = cephdisks.device_('/dev/sda')
-        assert ret == '/dev/sda'
+        assert ret == '/dev/disk/by-id/sda'
 
     @mock.patch('srv.salt._modules.cephdisks._pathname_setting')
     @mock.patch('srv.salt._modules.cephdisks._match_setting')
     @mock.patch('srv.salt._modules.cephdisks._prefer_underscores')
-    def test_device_no_match(self, pu, ms, ps):
+    def test_device_returns_input_if_no_match(self, pu, ms, ps):
         ps.return_value = '/dev/disk/by-id'
         ms.return_value = '-name ata* -o -name scsi* -o -name nvme*'
         pu.return_value = -1
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ def test_device_no_match(self, pu, ms, ps):
         cephdisks.__salt__['helper.run'] = mock.Mock()
         cephdisks.__salt__['helper.run'].return_value = (0, "", "")
         ret = cephdisks.device_('/dev/sda')
-        assert ret == ""
+        assert ret == "/dev/sda"
 
     def test_match_setting_arg(self):
         ret = cephdisks._match_setting('custom')