diff --git a/man/logind.conf.xml b/man/logind.conf.xml
index 6e587c3561..3217ece21a 100644
--- a/man/logind.conf.xml
+++ b/man/logind.conf.xml
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@
         corresponding to the session and all processes inside that scope will be
         terminated. If false, the scope is "abandonded", see
         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.scope</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
-        and processes are not killed. Defaults to <literal>yes</literal>.</para>
+        and processes are not killed. Defaults to <literal>yes</literal>,
+        but see the options <varname>KillOnlyUsers=</varname> and
+        <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> below.</para>
 
         <para>In addition to session processes, user process may run under the user
         manager unit <filename>user@.service</filename>. Depending on the linger
@@ -147,17 +149,16 @@
         <term><varname>KillOnlyUsers=</varname></term>
         <term><varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname></term>
 
-        <listitem><para>These settings take space-separated lists of usernames that
-        determine to which users the <varname>KillUserProcesses=</varname> setting
-        applies. A user name may be added to <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> to
-        exclude the processes in the session scopes of that user from being killed even if
-        <varname>KillUserProcesses=yes</varname> is set. If
-        <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> is not set, the <literal>root</literal> user
-        is excluded by default. <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> may be set to an
-        empty value to override this default. If a user is not excluded,
-        <varname>KillOnlyUsers=</varname> is checked next. A list of user names may be
-        specified in <varname>KillOnlyUsers=</varname>, to only include those
-        users. Otherwise, all users are included.</para></listitem>
+        <listitem><para>These settings take space-separated lists of usernames that override
+        the <varname>KillUserProcesses=</varname> setting. A user name may be added to
+        <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> to exclude the processes in the session scopes of
+        that user from being killed even if <varname>KillUserProcesses=yes</varname> is set. If
+        <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> is not set, the <literal>root</literal> user is
+        excluded by default. <varname>KillExcludeUsers=</varname> may be set to an empty value
+        to override this default. If a user is not excluded, <varname>KillOnlyUsers=</varname>
+        is checked next. If this setting is specified, only the session scopes of those users
+        will be killed. Otherwise, users are subject to the
+        <varname>KillUserProcesses=yes</varname> setting.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/login/logind-core.c b/src/login/logind-core.c
index 73075274e0..cbf8d757fe 100644
--- a/src/login/logind-core.c
+++ b/src/login/logind-core.c
@@ -364,19 +364,16 @@ bool manager_shall_kill(Manager *m, const char *user) {
         assert(m);
         assert(user);
 
-        if (!m->kill_user_processes)
-                return false;
-
         if (!m->kill_exclude_users && streq(user, "root"))
                 return false;
 
         if (strv_contains(m->kill_exclude_users, user))
                 return false;
 
-        if (strv_isempty(m->kill_only_users))
-                return true;
+        if (!strv_isempty(m->kill_only_users))
+                return strv_contains(m->kill_only_users, user);
 
-        return strv_contains(m->kill_only_users, user);
+        return m->kill_user_processes;
 }
 
 static int vt_is_busy(unsigned int vtnr) {