diff --git a/src/basic/log.c b/src/basic/log.c
index 80789ed2f0..c3e61ab5d4 100644
--- a/src/basic/log.c
+++ b/src/basic/log.c
@@ -1679,6 +1679,7 @@ int log_syntax_invalid_utf8_internal(
                 const char *func,
                 const char *rvalue) {
 
+        PROTECT_ERRNO;
         _cleanup_free_ char *p = NULL;
 
         if (rvalue)