diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
index b0f552500c..e72f041bdc 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
@@ -3585,6 +3585,9 @@ fail:
 
         (void) journal_file_close(f);
 
+        if (newly_created && fd < 0)
+                (void) unlink(fname);
+
         return r;
 }