diff --git a/src/core/dbus-manager.c b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
index 9b64a8074d..8dbb61eb05 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
@@ -314,7 +314,8 @@ static int property_set_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType type, sd_bus_message *
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        return manager_override_watchdog(m, type, timeout);
+        manager_override_watchdog(m, type, timeout);
+        return 0;
 }
 
 static int property_set_runtime_watchdog(
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 12c49e7fca..8841be4a72 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -3239,15 +3239,15 @@ void manager_set_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout) {
         m->watchdog[t] = timeout;
 }
 
-int manager_override_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout) {
+void manager_override_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout) {
 
         assert(m);
 
         if (MANAGER_IS_USER(m))
-                return 0;
+                return;
 
         if (m->watchdog_overridden[t] == timeout)
-                return 0;
+                return;
 
         if (t == WATCHDOG_RUNTIME) {
                 usec_t usec = timestamp_is_set(timeout) ? timeout : m->watchdog[t];
@@ -3256,7 +3256,6 @@ int manager_override_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout) {
         }
 
         m->watchdog_overridden[t] = timeout;
-        return 0;
 }
 
 int manager_reload(Manager *m) {
diff --git a/src/core/manager.h b/src/core/manager.h
index e445e4d751..8f9984aa51 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.h
+++ b/src/core/manager.h
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ ManagerTimestamp manager_timestamp_initrd_mangle(ManagerTimestamp s);
 
 usec_t manager_get_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t);
 void manager_set_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout);
-int manager_override_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout);
+void manager_override_watchdog(Manager *m, WatchdogType t, usec_t timeout);
 
 const char* oom_policy_to_string(OOMPolicy i) _const_;
 OOMPolicy oom_policy_from_string(const char *s) _pure_;
diff --git a/src/shared/watchdog.c b/src/shared/watchdog.c
index ed2998f46c..e8184ff661 100644
--- a/src/shared/watchdog.c
+++ b/src/shared/watchdog.c
@@ -156,9 +156,6 @@ int watchdog_set_device(const char *path) {
         int r;
 
         r = free_and_strdup(&watchdog_device, path);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
         if (r > 0) /* watchdog_device changed */
                 watchdog_fd = safe_close(watchdog_fd);
 
@@ -169,11 +166,9 @@ int watchdog_setup(usec_t timeout) {
         usec_t previous_timeout;
         int r;
 
-        /* timeout=0 closes the device whereas passing timeout=USEC_INFINITY
-         * opens it (if needed) without configuring any particular timeout and
-         * thus reuses the programmed value (therefore it's a nop if the device
-         * is already opened).
-         */
+        /* timeout=0 closes the device whereas passing timeout=USEC_INFINITY opens it (if needed)
+         * without configuring any particular timeout and thus reuses the programmed value (therefore
+         * it's a nop if the device is already opened). */
 
         if (timeout == 0) {
                 watchdog_close(true);
@@ -184,9 +179,8 @@ int watchdog_setup(usec_t timeout) {
         if (watchdog_fd >= 0 && (timeout == watchdog_timeout || timeout == USEC_INFINITY))
                 return 0;
 
-        /* Initialize the watchdog timeout with the caller value. This value is
-         * going to be updated by update_timeout() with the closest value
-         * supported by the driver */
+        /* Initialize the watchdog timeout with the caller value. This value is going to be updated by
+         * update_timeout() with the closest value supported by the driver */
         previous_timeout = watchdog_timeout;
         watchdog_timeout = timeout;