diff --git a/src/core/core-varlink.c b/src/core/core-varlink.c
index aa4c047418..1ff4a93cce 100644
--- a/src/core/core-varlink.c
+++ b/src/core/core-varlink.c
@@ -561,12 +561,13 @@ static int manager_varlink_init_user(Manager *m) {
                 return 0;
 
         r = varlink_connect_address(&link, VARLINK_ADDR_PATH_MANAGED_OOM_USER);
-        if (r == -ENOENT || ERRNO_IS_DISCONNECT(r)) {
-                log_debug("systemd-oomd varlink unix socket not found, skipping user manager varlink setup");
-                return 0;
-        }
-        if (r < 0)
+        if (r < 0) {
+                if (r == -ENOENT || ERRNO_IS_DISCONNECT(r)) {
+                        log_debug("systemd-oomd varlink unix socket not found, skipping user manager varlink setup");
+                        return 0;
+                }
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to connect to %s: %m", VARLINK_ADDR_PATH_MANAGED_OOM_USER);
+        }
 
         varlink_set_userdata(link, m);