diff --git a/src/coredump/coredumpctl.c b/src/coredump/coredumpctl.c
index 52ded50776..fe74c77e48 100644
--- a/src/coredump/coredumpctl.c
+++ b/src/coredump/coredumpctl.c
@@ -74,29 +74,31 @@ STATIC_DESTRUCTOR_REGISTER(arg_image_policy, image_policy_freep);
 
 static int add_match(sd_journal *j, const char *match) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *p = NULL;
-        const char* prefix, *pattern;
-        pid_t pid;
+        const char *field;
         int r;
 
         if (strchr(match, '='))
-                prefix = "";
-        else if (strchr(match, '/')) {
+                field = NULL;
+        else if (is_path(match)) {
                 r = path_make_absolute_cwd(match, &p);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "path_make_absolute_cwd(\"%s\"): %m", match);
 
                 match = p;
-                prefix = "COREDUMP_EXE=";
-        } else if (parse_pid(match, &pid) >= 0)
-                prefix = "COREDUMP_PID=";
+                field = "COREDUMP_EXE";
+        } else if (parse_pid(match, NULL) >= 0)
+                field = "COREDUMP_PID";
         else
-                prefix = "COREDUMP_COMM=";
+                field = "COREDUMP_COMM";
 
-        pattern = strjoina(prefix, match);
-        log_debug("Adding match: %s", pattern);
-        r = sd_journal_add_match(j, pattern, 0);
+        log_debug("Adding match: %s%s%s", strempty(field), field ? "=" : "", match);
+        if (field)
+                r = journal_add_match_pair(j, field, match);
+        else
+                r = sd_journal_add_match(j, match, 0);
         if (r < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to add match \"%s\": %m", match);
+                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to add match \"%s%s%s\": %m",
+                                       strempty(field), field ? "=" : "", match);
 
         return 0;
 }
@@ -877,7 +879,7 @@ static int dump_list(int argc, char **argv, void *userdata) {
 
         verb_is_info = argc >= 1 && streq(argv[0], "info");
 
-        r = acquire_journal(&j, argv + 1);
+        r = acquire_journal(&j, strv_skip(argv, 1));
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
@@ -1128,7 +1130,7 @@ static int dump_core(int argc, char **argv, void *userdata) {
                 return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
                                        "Option --field/-F only makes sense with list");
 
-        r = acquire_journal(&j, argv + 1);
+        r = acquire_journal(&j, strv_skip(argv, 1));
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
@@ -1201,7 +1203,7 @@ static int run_debug(int argc, char **argv, void *userdata) {
                 return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
                                        "Option --field/-F only makes sense with list");
 
-        r = acquire_journal(&j, argv + 1);
+        r = acquire_journal(&j, strv_skip(argv, 1));
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c b/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
index d88436018c..c747253858 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "fileio.h"
 #include "glob-util.h"
 #include "hostname-util.h"
+#include "journal-internal.h"
 #include "journal-remote.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "logs-show.h"
@@ -460,7 +461,6 @@ static mhd_result request_parse_arguments_iterator(
                 const char *value) {
 
         RequestMeta *m = ASSERT_PTR(cls);
-        _cleanup_free_ char *p = NULL;
         int r;
 
         if (isempty(key)) {
@@ -512,7 +512,6 @@ static mhd_result request_parse_arguments_iterator(
                 }
 
                 if (r) {
-                        char match[9 + 32 + 1] = "_BOOT_ID=";
                         sd_id128_t bid;
 
                         r = sd_id128_get_boot(&bid);
@@ -521,8 +520,7 @@ static mhd_result request_parse_arguments_iterator(
                                 return MHD_NO;
                         }
 
-                        sd_id128_to_string(bid, match + 9);
-                        r = sd_journal_add_match(m->journal, match, sizeof(match)-1);
+                        r = add_match_boot_id(m->journal, bid);
                         if (r < 0) {
                                 m->argument_parse_error = r;
                                 return MHD_NO;
@@ -532,13 +530,7 @@ static mhd_result request_parse_arguments_iterator(
                 return MHD_YES;
         }
 
-        p = strjoin(key, "=", strempty(value));
-        if (!p) {
-                m->argument_parse_error = log_oom();
-                return MHD_NO;
-        }
-
-        r = sd_journal_add_match(m->journal, p, 0);
+        r = journal_add_match_pair(m->journal, key, strempty(value));
         if (r < 0) {
                 m->argument_parse_error = r;
                 return MHD_NO;
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-internal.h b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-internal.h
index cddc2316af..b95080c527 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-internal.h
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-internal.h
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ char *journal_make_match_string(sd_journal *j);
 void journal_print_header(sd_journal *j);
 int journal_get_directories(sd_journal *j, char ***ret);
 
+int journal_add_match_pair(sd_journal *j, const char *field, const char *value);
+int journal_add_matchf(sd_journal *j, const char *format, ...) _printf_(2, 3);
+
 #define JOURNAL_FOREACH_DATA_RETVAL(j, data, l, retval)                     \
         for (sd_journal_restart_data(j); ((retval) = sd_journal_enumerate_data((j), &(data), &(l))) > 0; )
 
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
index ef57f156ac..383f3e5d57 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
@@ -325,6 +325,37 @@ fail:
         return -ENOMEM;
 }
 
+int journal_add_match_pair(sd_journal *j, const char *field, const char *value) {
+        _cleanup_free_ char *s = NULL;
+
+        assert(j);
+        assert(field);
+        assert(value);
+
+        s = strjoin(field, "=", value);
+        if (!s)
+                return -ENOMEM;
+
+        return sd_journal_add_match(j, s, 0);
+}
+
+int journal_add_matchf(sd_journal *j, const char *format, ...) {
+        _cleanup_free_ char *s = NULL;
+        va_list ap;
+        int r;
+
+        assert(j);
+        assert(format);
+
+        va_start(ap, format);
+        r = vasprintf(&s, format, ap);
+        va_end(ap);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return -ENOMEM;
+
+        return sd_journal_add_match(j, s, 0);
+}
+
 _public_ int sd_journal_add_conjunction(sd_journal *j) {
         assert_return(j, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(!journal_origin_changed(j), -ECHILD);
diff --git a/src/network/networkctl.c b/src/network/networkctl.c
index 117789c6e6..fab9ff465b 100644
--- a/src/network/networkctl.c
+++ b/src/network/networkctl.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "glob-util.h"
 #include "hwdb-util.h"
 #include "ipvlan-util.h"
+#include "journal-internal.h"
 #include "local-addresses.h"
 #include "locale-util.h"
 #include "logs-show.h"
@@ -1613,22 +1614,12 @@ static int show_logs(const LinkInfo *info) {
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to add boot matches: %m");
 
         if (info) {
-                char m1[STRLEN("_KERNEL_DEVICE=n") + DECIMAL_STR_MAX(int)];
-                const char *m2, *m3;
-
-                /* kernel */
-                xsprintf(m1, "_KERNEL_DEVICE=n%i", info->ifindex);
-                /* networkd */
-                m2 = strjoina("INTERFACE=", info->name);
-                /* udevd */
-                m3 = strjoina("DEVICE=", info->name);
-
-                (void)(
-                       (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m1, 0)) ||
+                (void) (
+                       (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_KERNEL_DEVICE=n%i", info->ifindex)) || /* kernel */
                        (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                       (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m2, 0)) ||
+                       (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "INTERFACE", info->name)) || /* networkd */
                        (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                       (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m3, 0))
+                       (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "DEVICE", info->name)) /* udevd */
                 );
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to add link matches: %m");
diff --git a/src/shared/logs-show.c b/src/shared/logs-show.c
index 598c8ed12a..3b6988b018 100644
--- a/src/shared/logs-show.c
+++ b/src/shared/logs-show.c
@@ -1562,102 +1562,78 @@ int show_journal(
 }
 
 int add_matches_for_unit(sd_journal *j, const char *unit) {
-        const char *m1, *m2, *m3, *m4;
         int r;
 
         assert(j);
         assert(unit);
 
-        m1 = strjoina("_SYSTEMD_UNIT=", unit);
-        m2 = strjoina("COREDUMP_UNIT=", unit);
-        m3 = strjoina("UNIT=", unit);
-        m4 = strjoina("OBJECT_SYSTEMD_UNIT=", unit);
-
-        (void)(
+        (void) (
             /* Look for messages from the service itself */
-            (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m1, 0)) ||
+            (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "_SYSTEMD_UNIT", unit)) ||
 
             /* Look for coredumps of the service */
             (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
             (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "MESSAGE_ID=fc2e22bc6ee647b6b90729ab34a250b1", 0)) ||
             (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "_UID=0", 0)) ||
-            (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m2, 0)) ||
+            (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "COREDUMP_UNIT", unit)) ||
 
              /* Look for messages from PID 1 about this service */
             (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
             (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "_PID=1", 0)) ||
-            (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m3, 0)) ||
+            (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "UNIT", unit)) ||
 
             /* Look for messages from authorized daemons about this service */
             (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
             (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "_UID=0", 0)) ||
-            (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m4, 0))
+            (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "OBJECT_SYSTEMD_UNIT", unit))
         );
 
-        if (r == 0 && endswith(unit, ".slice")) {
-                const char *m5;
-
-                m5 = strjoina("_SYSTEMD_SLICE=", unit);
-
+        if (r == 0 && endswith(unit, ".slice"))
                 /* Show all messages belonging to a slice */
-                (void)(
+                (void) (
                         (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                        (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m5, 0))
-                        );
-        }
+                        (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "_SYSTEMD_SLICE", unit))
+                );
 
         return r;
 }
 
 int add_matches_for_user_unit(sd_journal *j, const char *unit, uid_t uid) {
         int r;
-        char *m1, *m2, *m3, *m4;
-        char muid[sizeof("_UID=") + DECIMAL_STR_MAX(uid_t)];
 
         assert(j);
         assert(unit);
 
-        m1 = strjoina("_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=", unit);
-        m2 = strjoina("USER_UNIT=", unit);
-        m3 = strjoina("COREDUMP_USER_UNIT=", unit);
-        m4 = strjoina("OBJECT_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=", unit);
-        sprintf(muid, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid);
-
         (void) (
                 /* Look for messages from the user service itself */
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m1, 0)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, muid, 0)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT", unit)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid)) ||
 
                 /* Look for messages from systemd about this service */
                 (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m2, 0)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, muid, 0)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "USER_UNIT", unit)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid)) ||
 
                 /* Look for coredumps of the service */
                 (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m3, 0)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, muid, 0)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "COREDUMP_USER_UNIT", unit)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid)) ||
                 (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "_UID=0", 0)) ||
 
                 /* Look for messages from authorized daemons about this service */
                 (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m4, 0)) ||
-                (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, muid, 0)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "OBJECT_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT", unit)) ||
+                (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid)) ||
                 (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, "_UID=0", 0))
         );
 
-        if (r == 0 && endswith(unit, ".slice")) {
-                const char *m5;
-
-                m5 = strjoina("_SYSTEMD_USER_SLICE=", unit);
-
+        if (r == 0 && endswith(unit, ".slice"))
                 /* Show all messages belonging to a slice */
-                (void)(
+                (void) (
                         (r = sd_journal_add_disjunction(j)) ||
-                        (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m5, 0)) ||
-                        (r = sd_journal_add_match(j, muid, 0))
-                        );
-        }
+                        (r = journal_add_match_pair(j, "_SYSTEMD_USER_SLICE", unit)) ||
+                        (r = journal_add_matchf(j, "_UID="UID_FMT, uid))
+                );
 
         return r;
 }
@@ -1730,13 +1706,10 @@ static int get_boot_id_for_machine(const char *machine, sd_id128_t *boot_id) {
 }
 
 int add_match_boot_id(sd_journal *j, sd_id128_t id) {
-        char match[STRLEN("_BOOT_ID=") + SD_ID128_STRING_MAX];
-
         assert(j);
         assert(!sd_id128_is_null(id));
 
-        sd_id128_to_string(id, stpcpy(match, "_BOOT_ID="));
-        return sd_journal_add_match(j, match, strlen(match));
+        return journal_add_match_pair(j, "_BOOT_ID", SD_ID128_TO_STRING(id));
 }
 
 int add_match_this_boot(sd_journal *j, const char *machine) {