diff --git a/src/core/execute.c b/src/core/execute.c
index 2baf824974..54e4043253 100644
--- a/src/core/execute.c
+++ b/src/core/execute.c
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ static int setup_output(
         case EXEC_OUTPUT_JOURNAL_AND_CONSOLE:
                 r = connect_logger_as(unit, context, params, o, ident, fileno, uid, gid);
                 if (r < 0) {
-                        log_unit_error_errno(unit, r, "Failed to connect %s to the journal socket, ignoring: %m", fileno == STDOUT_FILENO ? "stdout" : "stderr");
+                        log_unit_warning_errno(unit, r, "Failed to connect %s to the journal socket, ignoring: %m", fileno == STDOUT_FILENO ? "stdout" : "stderr");
                         r = open_null_as(O_WRONLY, fileno);
                 } else {
                         struct stat st;