diff --git a/src/journal/journalctl-show.c b/src/journal/journalctl-show.c
index 0fa919cfd2..08311f018d 100644
--- a/src/journal/journalctl-show.c
+++ b/src/journal/journalctl-show.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ static int on_first_event(sd_event_source *s, void *userdata) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        if (arg_follow && !arg_reverse && !c->has_cursor && !arg_since_set) {
+        if (arg_follow && !c->has_cursor && !arg_since_set) {
                 r = sd_journal_get_cursor(c->journal, /* ret_cursor= */ NULL);
                 if (r == -EADDRNOTAVAIL) {
                         /* If we shall operate in --follow mode, and we are unable to get a cursor after