In one embodiment, a service receives a plurality of device type classification rules, each rule comprising a device type label and one or more device attributes used as criteria for application of the label to a device in a network. The service estimates, across a space of the device attributes, device densities of devices having device attributes at different points in that space. The service uses the estimated device densities to identify two or more of the device type classification rules as having overlapping device attributes. The service determines that the two or more device type classification rules are in conflict, based on the two or more rules having different device type labels. The service generates a rule conflict resolution that comprises one of the device type labels from the conflicting two or more device type classification rules.