diff --git a/src/core/job.c b/src/core/job.c
index 48d60af82b..fc3d8d8308 100644
--- a/src/core/job.c
+++ b/src/core/job.c
@@ -714,8 +714,10 @@ int job_run_and_invalidate(Job *j) {
         if (j) {
                 if (r == -EAGAIN)
                         job_set_state(j, JOB_WAITING); /* Hmm, not ready after all, let's return to JOB_WAITING state */
-                else if (r == -EALREADY)
+                else if (r == -EALREADY) /* already being executed */
                         r = job_finish_and_invalidate(j, JOB_DONE, true, true);
+                else if (r == -ECOMM)    /* condition failed, but all is good */
+                        r = job_finish_and_invalidate(j, JOB_DONE, true, false);
                 else if (r == -EBADR)
                         r = job_finish_and_invalidate(j, JOB_SKIPPED, true, false);
                 else if (r == -ENOEXEC)
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 3150740e05..11c353076c 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -2138,7 +2138,7 @@ static int manager_dispatch_run_queue(sd_event_source *source, void *userdata) {
                 assert(j->installed);
                 assert(j->in_run_queue);
 
-                job_run_and_invalidate(j);
+                (void) job_run_and_invalidate(j);
         }
 
         if (m->n_running_jobs > 0)
diff --git a/src/core/unit.c b/src/core/unit.c
index c4d55dc2d3..ab057ada87 100644
--- a/src/core/unit.c
+++ b/src/core/unit.c
@@ -1726,7 +1726,7 @@ int unit_start(Unit *u) {
         if (state != UNIT_ACTIVATING &&
             !unit_condition_test(u)) {
                 log_unit_debug(u, "Starting requested but condition failed. Not starting unit.");
-                return -EALREADY;
+                return -ECOMM;
         }
 
         /* If the asserts failed, fail the entire job */