diff --git a/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/transform/smoothquant/utils.py b/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/transform/smoothquant/utils.py
index abe0a836a6..1d2a2d60b2 100644
--- a/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/transform/smoothquant/utils.py
+++ b/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/transform/smoothquant/utils.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
 DEEPSEEK_V2_SMOOTHQUANT_MAPPINGS: list[LayerMap] = [
     LayerMap(
-        balance_layers=["re:.*q_proj", "re:.*kv_a_proj_with_mqa"],
+        balance_layers=["re:.*q(_a)?_proj$", "re:.*kv_a_proj_with_mqa"],
         smooth_layers="re:.*input_layernorm",
     ),
 ]