diff --git a/src/shared/bootspec.c b/src/shared/bootspec.c
index 89dfae70c9..d8ce45475f 100644
--- a/src/shared/bootspec.c
+++ b/src/shared/bootspec.c
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ int boot_loader_read_conf(BootConfig *config, FILE *file, const char *path) {
 
                 if (streq(field, "preferred"))
                         r = free_and_strdup(&config->preferred_pattern, p);
-                if (streq(field, "default"))
+                else if (streq(field, "default"))
                         r = free_and_strdup(&config->default_pattern, p);
                 else if (STR_IN_SET(field, "timeout", "editor", "auto-entries", "auto-firmware",
                                     "auto-poweroff", "auto-reboot", "beep", "reboot-for-bitlocker",