diff --git a/src/basic/argv-util.c b/src/basic/argv-util.c
index b0381a6096..2796d5c0b6 100644
--- a/src/basic/argv-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/argv-util.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void save_argc_argv(int argc, char **argv) {
 }
 
 bool invoked_as(char *argv[], const char *token) {
-        const char *progname = secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_INVOKED_AS");
+        const char *progname = empty_to_null(secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_INVOKED_AS"));
 
         if (!progname && argv)
                 progname = argv[0];
diff --git a/src/shared/verbs.c b/src/shared/verbs.c
index 1a1a2d9e59..d152fdb7d9 100644
--- a/src/shared/verbs.c
+++ b/src/shared/verbs.c
@@ -514,12 +514,12 @@ static const Verb* verbs_find_cmd_verbs(const Verb *cmdverb, const Verb verbs_en
 }
 
 static void help_cmdline(const char *arguments) {
-        const char *progname =
-                last_path_component(secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_INVOKED_AS"))
-                ?: program_invocation_short_name;
-
         assert(arguments);
 
+        const char *progname =
+                empty_to_null(last_path_component(secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_INVOKED_AS")))
+                ?: program_invocation_short_name;
+
         printf("%s>%s %s %s\n",
                ansi_grey(),
                ansi_normal(),