diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index fa48eafcd..e716b85b8 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -554,6 +554,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "log 0.3.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "parking_lot 0.3.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "rand 0.3.14 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "regex 0.1.68 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "rlp 0.1.0",
  "rocksdb 0.4.5 (git+https://github.com/ethcore/rust-rocksdb)",
  "rust-crypto 0.2.36 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
diff --git a/ethcore/src/client/config.rs b/ethcore/src/client/config.rs
index 69b9d9efe..b87da437f 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/client/config.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/client/config.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 use std::str::FromStr;
+use std::path::Path;
 pub use std::time::Duration;
 pub use blockchain::Config as BlockChainConfig;
 pub use trace::Config as TraceConfig;
@@ -26,23 +27,26 @@ use util::{journaldb, CompactionProfile};
 /// Client state db compaction profile
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum DatabaseCompactionProfile {
-	/// Default compaction profile
-	Default,
+	/// Try to determine compaction profile automatically
+	Auto,
+	/// SSD compaction profile
+	SSD,
 	/// HDD or other slow storage io compaction profile
 	HDD,
 }
 
 impl Default for DatabaseCompactionProfile {
 	fn default() -> Self {
-		DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default
+		DatabaseCompactionProfile::Auto
 	}
 }
 
 impl DatabaseCompactionProfile {
 	/// Returns corresponding compaction profile.
-	pub fn compaction_profile(&self) -> CompactionProfile {
+	pub fn compaction_profile(&self, db_path: &Path) -> CompactionProfile {
 		match *self {
-			DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default => Default::default(),
+			DatabaseCompactionProfile::Auto => CompactionProfile::auto(db_path),
+			DatabaseCompactionProfile::SSD => CompactionProfile::ssd(),
 			DatabaseCompactionProfile::HDD => CompactionProfile::hdd(),
 		}
 	}
@@ -53,9 +57,10 @@ impl FromStr for DatabaseCompactionProfile {
 
 	fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
 		match s {
-			"ssd" | "default" => Ok(DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default),
+			"auto" => Ok(DatabaseCompactionProfile::Auto),
+			"ssd" => Ok(DatabaseCompactionProfile::SSD),
 			"hdd" => Ok(DatabaseCompactionProfile::HDD),
-			_ => Err("Invalid compaction profile given. Expected hdd/ssd (default).".into()),
+			_ => Err("Invalid compaction profile given. Expected default/hdd/ssd.".into()),
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -120,13 +125,13 @@ mod test {
 
 	#[test]
 	fn test_default_compaction_profile() {
-		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::default(), DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default);
+		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::default(), DatabaseCompactionProfile::Auto);
 	}
 
 	#[test]
 	fn test_parsing_compaction_profile() {
-		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default, "ssd".parse().unwrap());
-		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::Default, "default".parse().unwrap());
+		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::Auto, "auto".parse().unwrap());
+		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::SSD, "ssd".parse().unwrap());
 		assert_eq!(DatabaseCompactionProfile::HDD, "hdd".parse().unwrap());
 	}
 
diff --git a/ethcore/src/service.rs b/ethcore/src/service.rs
index b2dd18cd5..95cbe745e 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/service.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/service.rs
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ impl ClientService {
 			db_config.set_cache(::db::COL_STATE, size);
 		}
 
-		db_config.compaction = config.db_compaction.compaction_profile();
+		db_config.compaction = config.db_compaction.compaction_profile(&client_path);
 		db_config.wal = config.db_wal;
 
 		let pruning = config.pruning;
diff --git a/parity/blockchain.rs b/parity/blockchain.rs
index 94343cdf8..fbf25e1cf 100644
--- a/parity/blockchain.rs
+++ b/parity/blockchain.rs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ fn execute_import(cmd: ImportBlockchain) -> Result<String, String> {
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile()));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.fork_path().as_path())));
 
 	// prepare client config
 	let client_config = to_client_config(&cmd.cache_config, cmd.mode, tracing, fat_db, cmd.compaction, cmd.wal, cmd.vm_type,  "".into(), algorithm, cmd.pruning_history);
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ fn execute_export(cmd: ExportBlockchain) -> Result<String, String> {
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile()));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.fork_path().as_path())));
 
 	// prepare client config
 	let client_config = to_client_config(&cmd.cache_config, cmd.mode, tracing, fat_db, cmd.compaction, cmd.wal, VMType::default(), "".into(), algorithm, cmd.pruning_history);
diff --git a/parity/cli/mod.rs b/parity/cli/mod.rs
index 2935560c9..a8e1cdba7 100644
--- a/parity/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/parity/cli/mod.rs
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ usage! {
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.footprint).cache_size.clone().map(Some),
 		flag_fast_and_loose: bool = false,
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.footprint).fast_and_loose.clone(),
-		flag_db_compaction: String = "ssd",
+		flag_db_compaction: String = "auto",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.footprint).db_compaction.clone(),
 		flag_fat_db: String = "auto",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.footprint).fat_db.clone(),
diff --git a/parity/cli/usage.txt b/parity/cli/usage.txt
index c602c0c8a..8bf99c5e7 100644
--- a/parity/cli/usage.txt
+++ b/parity/cli/usage.txt
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ Footprint Options:
                            but means an unclean exit is unrecoverable. (default: {flag_fast_and_loose})
   --db-compaction TYPE     Database compaction type. TYPE may be one of:
                            ssd - suitable for SSDs and fast HDDs;
-                           hdd - suitable for slow HDDs (default: {flag_db_compaction}).
+                           hdd - suitable for slow HDDs;
+                           auto - determine automatically (default: {flag_db_compaction}).
   --fat-db BOOL            Build appropriate information to allow enumeration
                            of all accounts and storage keys. Doubles the size
                            of the state database. BOOL may be one of on, off
diff --git a/parity/dir.rs b/parity/dir.rs
index 5a87f8dac..d7638e33b 100644
--- a/parity/dir.rs
+++ b/parity/dir.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ pub struct DatabaseDirectories {
 }
 
 impl DatabaseDirectories {
-	fn fork_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
+	/// Base DB directory for the given fork.
+	pub fn fork_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
 		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.path).to_path_buf();
 		dir.push(format!("{:?}{}", H64::from(self.genesis_hash), self.fork_name.as_ref().map(|f| format!("-{}", f)).unwrap_or_default()));
 		dir
diff --git a/parity/run.rs b/parity/run.rs
index 4d6b92600..9d0caf751 100644
--- a/parity/run.rs
+++ b/parity/run.rs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ pub fn execute(cmd: RunCmd) -> Result<(), String> {
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile()));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.fork_path().as_path())));
 
 	// run in daemon mode
 	if let Some(pid_file) = cmd.daemon {
diff --git a/parity/snapshot.rs b/parity/snapshot.rs
index 709dafe5f..dc146d8fe 100644
--- a/parity/snapshot.rs
+++ b/parity/snapshot.rs
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ impl SnapshotCommand {
 		let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 		// execute upgrades
-		try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, self.compaction.compaction_profile()));
+		try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, self.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.fork_path().as_path())));
 
 		// prepare client config
 		let client_config = to_client_config(&self.cache_config, self.mode, tracing, fat_db, self.compaction, self.wal, VMType::default(), "".into(), algorithm, self.pruning_history);
diff --git a/util/Cargo.toml b/util/Cargo.toml
index d6cdce45f..ce2992fe5 100644
--- a/util/Cargo.toml
+++ b/util/Cargo.toml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ table = { path = "table" }
 ansi_term = "0.7"
 tiny-keccak= "1.0"
 ethcore-bloom-journal = { path = "bloom" }
+regex = "0.1"
 
 [features]
 default = []
diff --git a/util/src/kvdb.rs b/util/src/kvdb.rs
index e5507b78f..7d6ea399c 100644
--- a/util/src/kvdb.rs
+++ b/util/src/kvdb.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use rlp::{UntrustedRlp, RlpType, View, Compressible};
 use rocksdb::{DB, Writable, WriteBatch, WriteOptions, IteratorMode, DBIterator,
 	Options, DBCompactionStyle, BlockBasedOptions, Direction, Cache, Column, ReadOptions};
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+use regex::Regex;
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+use std::process::Command;
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+use std::fs::File;
 
 const DB_BACKGROUND_FLUSHES: i32 = 2;
 const DB_BACKGROUND_COMPACTIONS: i32 = 2;
@@ -110,7 +116,7 @@ enum KeyState {
 }
 
 /// Compaction profile for the database settings
-#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Debug)]
 pub struct CompactionProfile {
 	/// L0-L1 target file size
 	pub initial_file_size: u64,
@@ -123,16 +129,73 @@ pub struct CompactionProfile {
 impl Default for CompactionProfile {
 	/// Default profile suitable for most storage
 	fn default() -> CompactionProfile {
+		CompactionProfile::ssd()
+	}
+}
+
+/// Given output of df command return Linux rotational flag file path.
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+pub fn rotational_from_df_output(df_out: Vec<u8>) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+	str::from_utf8(df_out.as_slice())
+		.ok()
+		// Get the drive name.
+		.and_then(|df_str| Regex::new(r"/dev/(sd[:alpha:]{1,2})")
+			.ok()
+			.and_then(|re| re.captures(df_str))
+			.and_then(|captures| captures.at(1)))
+		// Generate path e.g. /sys/block/sda/queue/rotational
+		.map(|drive_path| {
+			let mut p = PathBuf::from("/sys/block");
+			p.push(drive_path);
+			p.push("queue/rotational");
+			p
+		})
+}
+
+impl CompactionProfile {
+	/// Attempt to determine the best profile automatically, only Linux for now.
+	#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+	pub fn auto(db_path: &Path) -> CompactionProfile {
+		let hdd_check_file = db_path
+			.to_str()
+			.and_then(|path_str| Command::new("df").arg(path_str).output().ok())
+			.and_then(|df_res| match df_res.status.success() {
+				true => Some(df_res.stdout),
+				false => None,
+			})
+			.and_then(rotational_from_df_output);
+		// Read out the file and match compaction profile.
+		if let Some(hdd_check) = hdd_check_file {
+			if let Ok(mut file) = File::open(hdd_check.as_path()) {
+				let mut buffer = [0; 1];
+				if file.read_exact(&mut buffer).is_ok() {
+					// 0 means not rotational.
+					if buffer == [48] { return Self::ssd(); }
+					// 1 means rotational.
+					if buffer == [49] { return Self::hdd(); }
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		// Fallback if drive type was not determined.
+		Self::default()
+	}
+
+	/// Just default for other platforms.
+	#[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
+	pub fn auto(_db_path: &Path) -> CompactionProfile {
+		Self::default()
+	}
+
+	/// Default profile suitable for SSD storage
+	pub fn ssd() -> CompactionProfile {
 		CompactionProfile {
 			initial_file_size: 32 * 1024 * 1024,
 			file_size_multiplier: 2,
 			write_rate_limit: None,
 		}
 	}
-}
 
-impl CompactionProfile {
-	/// Slow hdd compaction profile
+	/// Slow HDD compaction profile
 	pub fn hdd() -> CompactionProfile {
 		CompactionProfile {
 			initial_file_size: 192 * 1024 * 1024,
@@ -538,6 +601,7 @@ mod tests {
 	use super::*;
 	use devtools::*;
 	use std::str::FromStr;
+	use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 	fn test_db(config: &DatabaseConfig) {
 		let path = RandomTempPath::create_dir();
@@ -598,4 +662,13 @@ mod tests {
 		let _ = Database::open_default(path.as_path().to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
 		test_db(&DatabaseConfig::default());
 	}
+
+	#[test]
+	#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+	fn df_to_rotational() {
+		// Example df output.
+		let example_df = vec![70, 105, 108, 101, 115, 121, 115, 116, 101, 109, 32, 32, 32, 32, 32, 49, 75, 45, 98, 108, 111, 99, 107, 115, 32, 32, 32, 32, 32, 85, 115, 101, 100, 32, 65, 118, 97, 105, 108, 97, 98, 108, 101, 32, 85, 115, 101, 37, 32, 77, 111, 117, 110, 116, 101, 100, 32, 111, 110, 10, 47, 100, 101, 118, 47, 115, 100, 97, 49, 32, 32, 32, 32, 32, 32, 32, 54, 49, 52, 48, 57, 51, 48, 48, 32, 51, 56, 56, 50, 50, 50, 51, 54, 32, 32, 49, 57, 52, 52, 52, 54, 49, 54, 32, 32, 54, 55, 37, 32, 47, 10];
+		let expected_output = Some(PathBuf::from("/sys/block/sda/queue/rotational"));
+		assert_eq!(rotational_from_df_output(example_df), expected_output);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/util/src/lib.rs b/util/src/lib.rs
index 17c2f5151..bebb2819a 100644
--- a/util/src/lib.rs
+++ b/util/src/lib.rs
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ extern crate parking_lot;
 extern crate ansi_term;
 extern crate tiny_keccak;
 extern crate rlp;
+extern crate regex;
 
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate heapsize;