diff --git a/src/core/exec-invoke.c b/src/core/exec-invoke.c
index c7082f9e2e..71b5a58676 100644
--- a/src/core/exec-invoke.c
+++ b/src/core/exec-invoke.c
@@ -5041,7 +5041,7 @@ int exec_invoke(
                  *
                  * The requested ambient capabilities are raised in the inheritable set if the second
                  * argument is true. */
-                if (!needs_ambient_hack) {
+                if (!needs_ambient_hack && capability_ambient_set != 0) {
                         r = capability_ambient_set_apply(capability_ambient_set, /* also_inherit= */ true);
                         if (r < 0) {
                                 *exit_status = EXIT_CAPABILITIES;
diff --git a/src/core/execute.c b/src/core/execute.c
index 26b2c0fb4a..d7c2f71e08 100644
--- a/src/core/execute.c
+++ b/src/core/execute.c
@@ -467,6 +467,12 @@ int exec_spawn(
         _cleanup_(pidref_done) PidRef pidref = PIDREF_NULL;
         dual_timestamp start_timestamp;
 
+        /* Restore the original ambient capability set the manager was started with to pass it to
+         * sd-executor. */
+        r = capability_ambient_set_apply(unit->manager->original_ambient_set, /* also_inherit= */ false);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return log_unit_error_errno(unit, r, "Failed to apply the starting ambient set: %m");
+
         /* Record the start timestamp before we fork so that it is guaranteed to be earlier than the
          * handoff timestamp. */
         dual_timestamp_now(&start_timestamp);
@@ -481,6 +487,10 @@ int exec_spawn(
                         environ,
                         cg_unified() > 0 ? subcgroup_path : NULL,
                         &pidref);
+
+        /* Drop the ambient set again, so no processes other than sd-executore spawned from the manager inherit it. */
+        (void) capability_ambient_set_apply(0, /* also_inherit= */ false);
+
         if (r == -EUCLEAN && subcgroup_path)
                 return log_unit_error_errno(unit, r,
                                             "Failed to spawn process into cgroup '%s', because the cgroup "
diff --git a/src/core/executor.c b/src/core/executor.c
index bd0c742533..acd0872d23 100644
--- a/src/core/executor.c
+++ b/src/core/executor.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "alloc-util.h"
 #include "argv-util.h"
 #include "build.h"
+#include "capability-util.h"
 #include "exec-invoke.h"
 #include "execute-serialize.h"
 #include "execute.h"
@@ -206,6 +207,11 @@ static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         log_set_prohibit_ipc(false);
         log_open();
 
+        /* Clear ambient capabilities, so services do not inherit them implicitly. Dropping them does
+         * not affect the permitted and effective sets which are important for the executor itself to
+         * operate. */
+        capability_ambient_set_apply(0, /* also_inherit= */ false);
+
         /* This call would collect all passed fds and enable CLOEXEC. We'll unset it in exec_invoke (flag_fds)
          * for fds that shall be passed to the child.
          * The serialization fd is set to CLOEXEC in parse_argv, so it's also filtered. */
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 6234eff7e5..401e4b5b94 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -1937,6 +1937,7 @@ static int do_reexecute(
                 FDSet *fds,
                 const char *switch_root_dir,
                 const char *switch_root_init,
+                uint64_t capability_ambient_set,
                 const char **ret_error_message) {
 
         size_t i, args_size;
@@ -1998,6 +1999,10 @@ static int do_reexecute(
                         log_error_errno(r, "Failed to switch root, trying to continue: %m");
         }
 
+        r = capability_ambient_set_apply(capability_ambient_set, /* also_inherit= */ false);
+        if (r < 0)
+                log_error_errno(r, "Failed to apply the starting ambient set, ignoring: %m.");
+
         args_size = argc + 5;
         args = newa(const char*, args_size);
 
@@ -2373,6 +2378,7 @@ static int initialize_runtime(
                 bool first_boot,
                 struct rlimit *saved_rlimit_nofile,
                 struct rlimit *saved_rlimit_memlock,
+                uint64_t *original_ambient_set,
                 const char **ret_error_message) {
 
         int r;
@@ -2487,11 +2493,6 @@ static int initialize_runtime(
                                 log_warning_errno(r, "Failed to copy os-release for propagation, ignoring: %m");
                 }
 
-                /* Clear ambient capabilities, so services do not inherit them implicitly. Dropping them does
-                 * not affect the permitted and effective sets which are important for the manager itself to
-                 * operate. */
-                (void) capability_ambient_set_apply(0, /* also_inherit= */ false);
-
                 break;
         }
 
@@ -2499,6 +2500,19 @@ static int initialize_runtime(
                 assert_not_reached();
         }
 
+        /* The two operations on the ambient set are meant for a user serssion manager. They do not affect
+         * system manager operation, because by default it starts with an empty ambient set.
+         *
+         * Preserve the ambient set for later use with sd-executor processes. */
+        r = capability_get_ambient(original_ambient_set);
+        if (r < 0)
+                log_error_errno(r, "Failed to save ambient capabilities, ignoring: %m.");
+
+        /* Clear ambient capabilities, so services do not inherit them implicitly. Dropping them does
+         * not affect the permitted and effective sets which are important for the manager itself to
+         * operate. */
+        (void) capability_ambient_set_apply(0, /* also_inherit= */ false);
+
         if (arg_timer_slack_nsec != NSEC_INFINITY)
                 if (prctl(PR_SET_TIMERSLACK, arg_timer_slack_nsec) < 0)
                         log_warning_errno(errno, "Failed to adjust timer slack, ignoring: %m");
@@ -2995,6 +3009,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         usec_t before_startup, after_startup;
         static char systemd[] = "systemd";
         const char *error_message = NULL;
+        uint64_t original_ambient_set;
         int r, retval = EXIT_FAILURE;
         Manager *m = NULL;
         FDSet *fds = NULL;
@@ -3269,6 +3284,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                first_boot,
                                &saved_rlimit_nofile,
                                &saved_rlimit_memlock,
+                               &original_ambient_set,
                                &error_message);
         if (r < 0)
                 goto finish;
@@ -3290,6 +3306,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         m->timestamps[manager_timestamp_initrd_mangle(MANAGER_TIMESTAMP_SECURITY_START)] = security_start_timestamp;
         m->timestamps[manager_timestamp_initrd_mangle(MANAGER_TIMESTAMP_SECURITY_FINISH)] = security_finish_timestamp;
 
+        m->original_ambient_set = original_ambient_set;
+
         set_manager_defaults(m);
         set_manager_settings(m);
         manager_set_first_boot(m, first_boot);
@@ -3365,6 +3383,7 @@ finish:
                                  fds,
                                  switch_root_dir,
                                  switch_root_init,
+                                 original_ambient_set,
                                  &error_message); /* This only returns if reexecution failed */
 
         arg_serialization = safe_fclose(arg_serialization);
diff --git a/src/core/manager.h b/src/core/manager.h
index 2dfaf33dd0..908a148196 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.h
+++ b/src/core/manager.h
@@ -511,6 +511,9 @@ struct Manager {
         int executor_fd;
 
         unsigned soft_reboots_count;
+
+        /* Original ambient capabilities when we were initialized */
+        uint64_t original_ambient_set;
 };
 
 static inline usec_t manager_default_timeout_abort_usec(Manager *m) {