diff --git a/units/systemd-journald.service.in b/units/systemd-journald.service.in
index 2b340f4ea7..96362f5730 100644
--- a/units/systemd-journald.service.in
+++ b/units/systemd-journald.service.in
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ Before=sysinit.target
 
 # To avoid journald SIGKILLed during soft-reboot and corrupting journals.
 # See https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/30195
-Before=soft-reboot.target
+# Note, typically soft-reboot.target will be never reached,
+# and systemd-soft-reboot.service will trigger soft-reboot.
+# Hence, this must be stopped before systemd-soft-reboot.service.
+Before=soft-reboot.target systemd-soft-reboot.service
 Conflicts=soft-reboot.target
 
 # Mount and swap units need the journal socket units. If they were removed by