diff --git a/src/fstab-generator/fstab-generator.c b/src/fstab-generator/fstab-generator.c
index 4165cf4680..3c26e64896 100644
--- a/src/fstab-generator/fstab-generator.c
+++ b/src/fstab-generator/fstab-generator.c
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ static int parse_fstab(bool prefix_sysroot) {
 
         log_debug("Parsing %s...", fstab);
 
-        r = libmount_parse_full(fstab, /* source = */ NULL, &table, &iter);
+        r = libmount_parse_full(fstab, /* source = */ NULL, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, &table, &iter);
         if (r == -ENOENT)
                 return 0;
         if (r < 0)
@@ -1442,7 +1442,7 @@ static int add_mounts_from_creds(bool prefix_sysroot) {
         _cleanup_(mnt_free_tablep) struct libmnt_table *table = NULL;
         _cleanup_(mnt_free_iterp) struct libmnt_iter *iter = NULL;
 
-        r = libmount_parse_full(cred, f, &table, &iter);
+        r = libmount_parse_full(cred, f, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, &table, &iter);
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to parse credential '%s' (as fstab): %m", cred);
 
diff --git a/src/shared/libmount-util.c b/src/shared/libmount-util.c
index 126ed948af..c6c6074c25 100644
--- a/src/shared/libmount-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/libmount-util.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ int dlopen_libmount(void) {
 int libmount_parse_full(
                 const char *path,
                 FILE *source,
+                int direction,
                 struct libmnt_table **ret_table,
                 struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter) {
 
@@ -95,13 +96,14 @@ int libmount_parse_full(
 
         /* Older libmount seems to require this. */
         assert(!source || path);
+        assert(IN_SET(direction, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, MNT_ITER_BACKWARD));
 
         r = dlopen_libmount();
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
         table = sym_mnt_new_table();
-        iter = sym_mnt_new_iter(MNT_ITER_FORWARD);
+        iter = sym_mnt_new_iter(direction);
         if (!table || !iter)
                 return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ int libmount_parse_fstab(
         struct libmnt_table **ret_table,
         struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter) {
 
-        return libmount_parse_full(fstab_path(), NULL, ret_table, ret_iter);
+        return libmount_parse_full(fstab_path(), NULL, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, ret_table, ret_iter);
 }
 
 int libmount_is_leaf(
diff --git a/src/shared/libmount-util.h b/src/shared/libmount-util.h
index f7fc39cd9b..15921a2f42 100644
--- a/src/shared/libmount-util.h
+++ b/src/shared/libmount-util.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ DEFINE_TRIVIAL_CLEANUP_FUNC_FULL_RENAME(struct libmnt_iter*, sym_mnt_free_iter,
 int libmount_parse_full(
                 const char *path,
                 FILE *source,
+                int direction,
                 struct libmnt_table **ret_table,
                 struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter);
 
@@ -55,14 +56,14 @@ static inline int libmount_parse_mountinfo(
                 struct libmnt_table **ret_table,
                 struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter) {
 
-        return libmount_parse_full("/proc/self/mountinfo", source, ret_table, ret_iter);
+        return libmount_parse_full("/proc/self/mountinfo", source, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, ret_table, ret_iter);
 }
 
 static inline int libmount_parse_with_utab(
                 struct libmnt_table **ret_table,
                 struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter) {
 
-        return libmount_parse_full(NULL, NULL, ret_table, ret_iter);
+        return libmount_parse_full(NULL, NULL, MNT_ITER_FORWARD, ret_table, ret_iter);
 }
 
 int libmount_parse_fstab(struct libmnt_table **ret_table, struct libmnt_iter **ret_iter);
diff --git a/src/shared/mount-util.c b/src/shared/mount-util.c
index c6d1373caf..dcdc42b00a 100644
--- a/src/shared/mount-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/mount-util.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ int umount_recursive_full(const char *prefix, int flags, char **keep) {
                 _cleanup_(mnt_free_iterp) struct libmnt_iter *iter = NULL;
                 bool again = false;
 
-                r = libmount_parse_mountinfo(f, &table, &iter);
+                r = libmount_parse_full("/proc/self/mountinfo", f, MNT_ITER_BACKWARD, &table, &iter);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to parse /proc/self/mountinfo: %m");