diff --git a/src/login/pam_systemd.c b/src/login/pam_systemd.c
index 9aa298c654..2ea3f6c850 100644
--- a/src/login/pam_systemd.c
+++ b/src/login/pam_systemd.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ static int create_session_message(
 
         if (!avoid_pidfd) {
                 pidfd = pidfd_open(getpid_cached(), 0);
-                if (pidfd < 0 && !ERRNO_IS_NOT_SUPPORTED(errno))
+                if (pidfd < 0 && !ERRNO_IS_NOT_SUPPORTED(errno) && !ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(errno))
                         return -errno;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
index e81afee058..999e08b16e 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
@@ -2261,7 +2261,7 @@ static int get_unit_dbus_path_by_pid(
          * sends the numeric PID. */
 
         pidfd = pidfd_open(pid, 0);
-        if (pidfd < 0 && ERRNO_IS_NOT_SUPPORTED(errno))
+        if (pidfd < 0 && ERRNO_IS_NOT_SUPPORTED(errno) && !ERRNO_IS_PRIVILEGE(errno))
                 return get_unit_dbus_path_by_pid_fallback(bus, pid, ret_path, ret_unit);
         if (pidfd < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(errno, "Failed to open PID %"PRIu32": %m", pid);