diff --git a/src/core/cgroup.c b/src/core/cgroup.c
index 9296a5e4ac..41d7dd5ada 100644
--- a/src/core/cgroup.c
+++ b/src/core/cgroup.c
@@ -102,8 +102,9 @@ bool unit_has_startup_cgroup_constraints(Unit *u) {
                c->startup_memory_low_set;
 }
 
-bool unit_has_host_root_cgroup(Unit *u) {
+bool unit_has_host_root_cgroup(const Unit *u) {
         assert(u);
+        assert(u->manager);
 
         /* Returns whether this unit manages the root cgroup. This will return true if this unit is the root slice and
          * the manager manages the root cgroup. */
diff --git a/src/core/cgroup.h b/src/core/cgroup.h
index d258bcb3ae..08fccf9612 100644
--- a/src/core/cgroup.h
+++ b/src/core/cgroup.h
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ int unit_reset_accounting(Unit *u);
         })
 
 bool manager_owns_host_root_cgroup(Manager *m);
-bool unit_has_host_root_cgroup(Unit *u);
+bool unit_has_host_root_cgroup(const Unit *u);
 
 bool unit_has_startup_cgroup_constraints(Unit *u);