diff --git a/src/core/load-fragment.c b/src/core/load-fragment.c
index c5ba7b1046..0de9adb6e5 100644
--- a/src/core/load-fragment.c
+++ b/src/core/load-fragment.c
@@ -4703,7 +4703,9 @@ int unit_load_fragment(Unit *u) {
                         return r;
 
                 if (null_or_empty(&st)) {
-                        u->load_state = UNIT_MASKED;
+                        /* Unit file is masked */
+
+                        u->load_state = u->perpetual ? UNIT_LOADED : UNIT_MASKED; /* don't allow perpetual units to ever be masked */
                         u->fragment_mtime = 0;
                 } else {
                         u->load_state = UNIT_LOADED;