diff --git a/src/core/unit.c b/src/core/unit.c
index b7cca3e287..641993b836 100644
--- a/src/core/unit.c
+++ b/src/core/unit.c
@@ -721,7 +721,6 @@ Unit* unit_free(Unit *u) {
         if (u->on_console)
                 manager_unref_console(u->manager);
 
-
         fdset_free(u->initial_socket_bind_link_fds);
 #if BPF_FRAMEWORK
         bpf_link_free(u->ipv4_socket_bind_link);
@@ -938,29 +937,17 @@ static int unit_reserve_dependencies(Unit *u, Unit *other) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-static void unit_maybe_warn_about_dependency(
-                Unit *u,
-                const char *other_id,
-                UnitDependency dependency) {
-
-        assert(u);
-
+static bool unit_should_warn_about_dependency(UnitDependency dependency) {
         /* Only warn about some unit types */
-        if (!IN_SET(dependency,
-                    UNIT_CONFLICTS,
-                    UNIT_CONFLICTED_BY,
-                    UNIT_BEFORE,
-                    UNIT_AFTER,
-                    UNIT_ON_SUCCESS,
-                    UNIT_ON_FAILURE,
-                    UNIT_TRIGGERS,
-                    UNIT_TRIGGERED_BY))
-                return;
-
-        if (streq_ptr(u->id, other_id))
-                log_unit_warning(u, "Dependency %s=%s dropped", unit_dependency_to_string(dependency), u->id);
-        else
-                log_unit_warning(u, "Dependency %s=%s dropped, merged into %s", unit_dependency_to_string(dependency), strna(other_id), u->id);
+        return IN_SET(dependency,
+                      UNIT_CONFLICTS,
+                      UNIT_CONFLICTED_BY,
+                      UNIT_BEFORE,
+                      UNIT_AFTER,
+                      UNIT_ON_SUCCESS,
+                      UNIT_ON_FAILURE,
+                      UNIT_TRIGGERS,
+                      UNIT_TRIGGERED_BY);
 }
 
 static int unit_per_dependency_type_hashmap_update(
@@ -1045,11 +1032,10 @@ static int unit_add_dependency_hashmap(
         return unit_per_dependency_type_hashmap_update(per_type, other, origin_mask, destination_mask);
 }
 
-static void unit_merge_dependencies(
-                Unit *u,
-                Unit *other) {
-
-        int r;
+static void unit_merge_dependencies(Unit *u, Unit *other) {
+        Hashmap *deps;
+        void *dt; /* Actually of type UnitDependency, except that we don't bother casting it here,
+                   * since the hashmaps all want it as void pointer. */
 
         assert(u);
         assert(other);
@@ -1057,18 +1043,29 @@ static void unit_merge_dependencies(
         if (u == other)
                 return;
 
+        /* First, remove dependency to other. */
+        HASHMAP_FOREACH_KEY(deps, dt, u->dependencies) {
+                if (hashmap_remove(deps, other) && unit_should_warn_about_dependency(UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt)))
+                        log_unit_warning(u, "Dependency %s=%s is dropped, as %s is merged into %s.",
+                                         unit_dependency_to_string(UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt)),
+                                         other->id, other->id, u->id);
+
+                if (hashmap_isempty(deps))
+                        hashmap_free(hashmap_remove(u->dependencies, dt));
+        }
+
         for (;;) {
                 _cleanup_(hashmap_freep) Hashmap *other_deps = NULL;
                 UnitDependencyInfo di_back;
                 Unit *back;
-                void *dt; /* Actually of type UnitDependency, except that we don't bother casting it here,
-                           * since the hashmaps all want it as void pointer. */
 
                 /* Let's focus on one dependency type at a time, that 'other' has defined. */
                 other_deps = hashmap_steal_first_key_and_value(other->dependencies, &dt);
                 if (!other_deps)
                         break; /* done! */
 
+                deps = hashmap_get(u->dependencies, dt);
+
                 /* Now iterate through all dependencies of this dependency type, of 'other'. We refer to the
                  * referenced units as 'back'. */
                 HASHMAP_FOREACH_KEY(di_back.data, back, other_deps) {
@@ -1078,7 +1075,12 @@ static void unit_merge_dependencies(
                         if (back == u) {
                                 /* This is a dependency pointing back to the unit we want to merge with?
                                  * Suppress it (but warn) */
-                                unit_maybe_warn_about_dependency(u, other->id, UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt));
+                                if (unit_should_warn_about_dependency(UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt)))
+                                        log_unit_warning(u, "Dependency %s=%s in %s is dropped, as %s is merged into %s.",
+                                                         unit_dependency_to_string(UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt)),
+                                                         u->id, other->id, other->id, u->id);
+
+                                hashmap_remove(other_deps, back);
                                 continue;
                         }
 
@@ -1097,41 +1099,21 @@ static void unit_merge_dependencies(
                                                           di_move.origin_mask,
                                                           di_move.destination_mask) >= 0);
                         }
-                }
-
-                /* Now all references towards 'other' of the current type 'dt' are corrected to point to
-                 * 'u'. Lets's now move the deps of type 'dt' from 'other' to 'u'. First, let's try to move
-                 * them per type wholesale. */
-                r = hashmap_put(u->dependencies, dt, other_deps);
-                if (r == -EEXIST) {
-                        Hashmap *deps;
 
                         /* The target unit already has dependencies of this type, let's then merge this individually. */
-
-                        assert_se(deps = hashmap_get(u->dependencies, dt));
-
-                        for (;;) {
-                                UnitDependencyInfo di_move;
-
-                                /* Get first dep */
-                                di_move.data = hashmap_steal_first_key_and_value(other_deps, (void**) &back);
-                                if (!di_move.data)
-                                        break; /* done */
-                                if (back == u) {
-                                        /* Would point back to us, ignore */
-                                        unit_maybe_warn_about_dependency(u, other->id, UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt));
-                                        continue;
-                                }
-
-                                assert_se(unit_per_dependency_type_hashmap_update(deps, back, di_move.origin_mask, di_move.destination_mask) >= 0);
-                        }
-                } else {
-                        assert_se(r >= 0);
-                        TAKE_PTR(other_deps);
-
-                        if (hashmap_remove(other_deps, u))
-                                unit_maybe_warn_about_dependency(u, other->id, UNIT_DEPENDENCY_FROM_PTR(dt));
+                        if (deps)
+                                assert_se(unit_per_dependency_type_hashmap_update(
+                                                          deps,
+                                                          back,
+                                                          di_back.origin_mask,
+                                                          di_back.destination_mask) >= 0);
                 }
+
+                /* Now all references towards 'other' of the current type 'dt' are corrected to point to 'u'.
+                 * Lets's now move the deps of type 'dt' from 'other' to 'u'. If the unit does not have
+                 * dependencies of this type, let's move them per type wholesale. */
+                if (!deps)
+                        assert_se(hashmap_put(u->dependencies, dt, TAKE_PTR(other_deps)) >= 0);
         }
 
         other->dependencies = hashmap_free(other->dependencies);
@@ -1177,11 +1159,6 @@ int unit_merge(Unit *u, Unit *other) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        /* Merge names */
-        r = unit_merge_names(u, other);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
         /* Redirect all references */
         while (other->refs_by_target)
                 unit_ref_set(other->refs_by_target, other->refs_by_target->source, u);
@@ -1189,6 +1166,11 @@ int unit_merge(Unit *u, Unit *other) {
         /* Merge dependencies */
         unit_merge_dependencies(u, other);
 
+        /* Merge names. It is better to do that after merging deps, otherwise the log message contains n/a. */
+        r = unit_merge_names(u, other);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return r;
+
         other->load_state = UNIT_MERGED;
         other->merged_into = u;
 
@@ -3067,7 +3049,6 @@ int unit_add_dependency(
                 [UNIT_IN_SLICE]               = UNIT_SLICE_OF,
                 [UNIT_SLICE_OF]               = UNIT_IN_SLICE,
         };
-        Unit *original_u = u, *original_other = other;
         UnitDependencyAtom a;
         int r;
 
@@ -3086,7 +3067,9 @@ int unit_add_dependency(
 
         /* We won't allow dependencies on ourselves. We will not consider them an error however. */
         if (u == other) {
-                unit_maybe_warn_about_dependency(original_u, original_other->id, d);
+                if (unit_should_warn_about_dependency(d))
+                        log_unit_warning(u, "Dependency %s=%s is dropped.",
+                                         unit_dependency_to_string(d), u->id);
                 return 0;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-26.sh b/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
index 0fe0d9b0d9..2e0350aabe 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@
 set -eux
 set -o pipefail
 
+# shellcheck source=test/units/assert.sh
+. "$(dirname "$0")"/assert.sh
+
+: >/failed
+
 at_exit() {
     if [[ -v UNIT_NAME && -e "/usr/lib/systemd/system/$UNIT_NAME" ]]; then
         rm -fvr "/usr/lib/systemd/system/$UNIT_NAME" "/etc/systemd/system/$UNIT_NAME.d" "+4"
     fi
+
+    rm -f /etc/init.d/issue-24990
+    return 0
 }
 
 # shellcheck source=test/units/assert.sh
@@ -307,6 +315,110 @@ systemctl unset-environment IMPORT_THIS IMPORT_THIS_TOO
 (! systemctl show-environment | grep "^IMPORT_THIS=")
 (! systemctl show-environment | grep "^IMPORT_THIS_TOO=")
 
-echo OK >/testok
+# test for sysv-generator (issue #24990)
+if [[ -x /usr/lib/systemd/system-generators/systemd-sysv-generator ]]; then
 
-exit 0
+    # invalid dependency
+    cat >/etc/init.d/issue-24990 <<\EOF
+#!/bin/bash
+
+### BEGIN INIT INFO
+# Provides:test1 test2
+# Required-Start:test1 $remote_fs $network
+# Required-Stop:test1 $remote_fs $network
+# Description:Test
+# Short-Description: Test
+### END INIT INFO
+
+case "$1" in
+    start)
+        echo "Starting issue-24990.service"
+        sleep 1000 &
+        ;;
+    stop)
+        echo "Stopping issue-24990.service"
+        sleep 10 &
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Usage: service test {start|stop|restart|status}"
+        ;;
+esac
+EOF
+
+    chmod +x /etc/init.d/issue-24990
+    systemctl daemon-reload
+    [[ -L /run/systemd/generator.late/test1.service ]]
+    [[ -L /run/systemd/generator.late/test2.service ]]
+    assert_eq "$(readlink -f /run/systemd/generator.late/test1.service)" "/run/systemd/generator.late/issue-24990.service"
+    assert_eq "$(readlink -f /run/systemd/generator.late/test2.service)" "/run/systemd/generator.late/issue-24990.service"
+    output=$(systemctl cat issue-24990)
+    assert_in "SourcePath=/etc/init.d/issue-24990" "$output"
+    assert_in "Description=LSB: Test" "$output"
+    assert_in "After=test1.service" "$output"
+    assert_in "After=remote-fs.target" "$output"
+    assert_in "After=network-online.target" "$output"
+    assert_in "Wants=network-online.target" "$output"
+    assert_in "ExecStart=/etc/init.d/issue-24990 start" "$output"
+    assert_in "ExecStop=/etc/init.d/issue-24990 stop" "$output"
+    systemctl status issue-24990 || :
+    systemctl show issue-24990
+    assert_not_in "issue-24990.service" "$(systemctl show --property=After --value)"
+    assert_not_in "issue-24990.service" "$(systemctl show --property=Before --value)"
+
+    if ! systemctl is-active network-online.target; then
+        systemctl start network-online.target
+    fi
+
+    systemctl restart issue-24990
+    systemctl stop issue-24990
+
+    # valid dependency
+    cat >/etc/init.d/issue-24990 <<\EOF
+#!/bin/bash
+
+### BEGIN INIT INFO
+# Provides:test1 test2
+# Required-Start:$remote_fs
+# Required-Stop:$remote_fs
+# Description:Test
+# Short-Description: Test
+### END INIT INFO
+
+case "$1" in
+    start)
+        echo "Starting issue-24990.service"
+        sleep 1000 &
+        ;;
+    stop)
+        echo "Stopping issue-24990.service"
+        sleep 10 &
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Usage: service test {start|stop|restart|status}"
+        ;;
+esac
+EOF
+
+    chmod +x /etc/init.d/issue-24990
+    systemctl daemon-reload
+    [[ -L /run/systemd/generator.late/test1.service ]]
+    [[ -L /run/systemd/generator.late/test2.service ]]
+    assert_eq "$(readlink -f /run/systemd/generator.late/test1.service)" "/run/systemd/generator.late/issue-24990.service"
+    assert_eq "$(readlink -f /run/systemd/generator.late/test2.service)" "/run/systemd/generator.late/issue-24990.service"
+    output=$(systemctl cat issue-24990)
+    assert_in "SourcePath=/etc/init.d/issue-24990" "$output"
+    assert_in "Description=LSB: Test" "$output"
+    assert_in "After=remote-fs.target" "$output"
+    assert_in "ExecStart=/etc/init.d/issue-24990 start" "$output"
+    assert_in "ExecStop=/etc/init.d/issue-24990 stop" "$output"
+    systemctl status issue-24990 || :
+    systemctl show issue-24990
+    assert_not_in "issue-24990.service" "$(systemctl show --property=After --value)"
+    assert_not_in "issue-24990.service" "$(systemctl show --property=Before --value)"
+
+    systemctl restart issue-24990
+    systemctl stop issue-24990
+fi
+
+touch /testok
+rm /failed