diff --git a/src/ssh_audit/ssh_audit.py b/src/ssh_audit/ssh_audit.py
index fcfd34f2..1c82ad6a 100755
--- a/src/ssh_audit/ssh_audit.py
+++ b/src/ssh_audit/ssh_audit.py
@@ -365,11 +365,8 @@ def output_recommendations(out: OutputBuffer, algs: Algorithms, algorithm_recomm
         for cve_list in VersionVulnerabilityDB.CVE['PuTTY']:
             vuln_version = float(cve_list[1])
             cvssv2_severity = cve_list[4]
-
-            if vuln_version > max_vuln_version:
-                max_vuln_version = vuln_version
-            if cvssv2_severity > max_cvssv2_severity:
-                max_cvssv2_severity = cvssv2_severity
+            max_vuln_version = max(vuln_version, max_vuln_version)
+            max_cvssv2_severity = max(cvssv2_severity, max_cvssv2_severity)
 
         fn = out.warn
         if max_cvssv2_severity > 8.0:
diff --git a/src/ssh_audit/ssh_socket.py b/src/ssh_audit/ssh_socket.py
index 5b8169c8..4afaa57a 100644
--- a/src/ssh_audit/ssh_socket.py
+++ b/src/ssh_audit/ssh_socket.py
@@ -246,8 +246,7 @@ def send_kexinit(self, key_exchanges: List[str] = ['curve25519-sha256', 'curve25
 
     def send_banner(self, banner: str) -> None:
         self.send(banner.encode() + b'\r\n')
-        if self.__state < self.SM_BANNER_SENT:
-            self.__state = self.SM_BANNER_SENT
+        self.__state = max(self.__state, self.SM_BANNER_SENT)
 
     def ensure_read(self, size: int) -> None:
         while self.unread_len < size: