In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a cooling subsystem comprising at least one air mover configured to generate a cooling airflow in the system and a thermal manager communicatively coupled to the cooling subsystem for control of the cooling subsystem and configured to: (i) determine relevant temperature limits of each of a plurality of hardware configurations, the hardware configuration based on a hardware inventory of the system; (ii) determine the lowest temperature limit of the relevant temperature limits; and (iii) responsive to a determination that a real-time temperature is above the lowest temperature limit, take remedial action.