diff --git a/man/systemctl.xml b/man/systemctl.xml
index 355956c8ad..a6d295927a 100644
--- a/man/systemctl.xml
+++ b/man/systemctl.xml
@@ -1988,7 +1988,8 @@ Jan 12 10:46:45 example.com bluetoothd[8900]: gatt-time-server: Input/output err
           <para>The argument is a comma-separated list of unit types such as <option>service</option> and
           <option>socket</option>. When units are listed with <command>list-units</command>,
           <command>list-dependencies</command>, <command>show</command>, or <command>status</command>,
-          only units of the specified types will be shown. By default, units of all types are shown.</para>
+          only units of the specified types will be shown. By default, units of all types are shown.
+          Use <option>--type=</option> to reset the filter.</para>
 
           <para>As a special case, if one of the arguments is <option>help</option>, a list of allowed values
           will be printed and the program will exit.</para>
diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
index 00da6d39b4..5c90092f2a 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
@@ -355,13 +355,6 @@ static int parse_property_argument(const char *value, char ***properties) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-static void help_types(void) {
-        if (arg_legend != 0)
-                puts("Available unit types:");
-
-        DUMP_STRING_TABLE(unit_type, UnitType, _UNIT_TYPE_MAX);
-}
-
 static int help_states(void) {
         if (arg_legend != 0)
                 puts("Available unit load states:");
@@ -451,6 +444,60 @@ static int parse_states_argument(const char *value, char ***states) {
         return 1;
 }
 
+static int help_types(void) {
+        if (arg_legend != 0)
+                puts("Available unit types:");
+
+        return DUMP_STRING_TABLE(unit_type, UnitType, _UNIT_TYPE_MAX);
+}
+
+static int parse_types_argument(const char *value, char ***types, char ***states) {
+        int r;
+
+        assert(value);
+        assert(types);
+        assert(states);
+
+        if (isempty(value)) {
+                /* reset the setting */
+                *types = strv_free(*types);
+                return 1;
+        }
+
+        for (const char *p = value;;) {
+                _cleanup_free_ char *type = NULL;
+
+                r = extract_first_word(&p, &type, ",", /* flags= */ 0);
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to parse -t/--type=: %m");
+                if (r == 0)
+                        break;
+
+                if (streq(type, "help"))
+                        return help_types();
+
+                if (unit_type_from_string(type) >= 0) {
+                        if (strv_consume(types, TAKE_PTR(type)) < 0)
+                                return log_oom();
+                        continue;
+                }
+
+                /* It's much nicer to use --state= for load states, but let's support this in
+                 * --types= too for compatibility with old versions */
+                if (unit_load_state_from_string(type) >= 0) {
+                        if (strv_consume(states, TAKE_PTR(type)) < 0)
+                                return log_oom();
+                        continue;
+                }
+
+                log_error("Unknown unit type or load state '%s'.", type);
+                return log_info_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
+                                      "Use -t help to see a list of allowed values.");
+        }
+
+        return 1;
+}
+
 static int systemctl_parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         enum {
                 ARG_FAIL = 0x100,            /* compatibility only */
@@ -597,43 +644,9 @@ static int systemctl_parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         return version();
 
                 case 't':
-                        if (isempty(optarg))
-                                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
-                                                       "--type= requires arguments.");
-
-                        for (const char *p = optarg;;) {
-                                _cleanup_free_ char *type = NULL;
-
-                                r = extract_first_word(&p, &type, ",", 0);
-                                if (r < 0)
-                                        return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to parse type: %s", optarg);
-                                if (r == 0)
-                                        break;
-
-                                if (streq(type, "help")) {
-                                        help_types();
-                                        return 0;
-                                }
-
-                                if (unit_type_from_string(type) >= 0) {
-                                        if (strv_consume(&arg_types, TAKE_PTR(type)) < 0)
-                                                return log_oom();
-                                        continue;
-                                }
-
-                                /* It's much nicer to use --state= for load states, but let's support this in
-                                 * --types= too for compatibility with old versions */
-                                if (unit_load_state_from_string(type) >= 0) {
-                                        if (strv_consume(&arg_states, TAKE_PTR(type)) < 0)
-                                                return log_oom();
-                                        continue;
-                                }
-
-                                log_error("Unknown unit type or load state '%s'.", type);
-                                return log_info_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
-                                                      "Use -t help to see a list of allowed values.");
-                        }
-
+                        r = parse_types_argument(optarg, &arg_types, &arg_states);
+                        if (r <= 0)
+                                return r;
                         break;
 
                 case 'P':