diff --git a/src/login/logind-dbus.c b/src/login/logind-dbus.c
index b0b7cf6cc0..ed0db4a2ff 100644
--- a/src/login/logind-dbus.c
+++ b/src/login/logind-dbus.c
@@ -2207,10 +2207,10 @@ static int verify_shutdown_creds(
                                 &m->polkit_registry,
                                 error);
                 if (r < 0) {
-                        /* If we get -EALREADY, it means a polkit decision was made, but not for
+                        /* If we get -EBUSY, it means a polkit decision was made, but not for
                          * this action in particular. Assuming we are blocked on inhibitors,
                          * ignore that error and allow the decision to be revealed below. */
-                        if (blocked && r == -EALREADY)
+                        if (blocked && r == -EBUSY)
                                 error_or_denial = true;
                         else
                                 return r;
@@ -3817,10 +3817,10 @@ static int method_inhibit(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_bus_error
                                 &m->polkit_registry,
                                 error);
                 if (r < 0) {
-                        /* If we get -EALREADY, it means a polkit decision was made, but not for
+                        /* If we get -EBUSY, it means a polkit decision was made, but not for
                          * this action in particular. Assuming there are more actions requested,
                          * ignore that error and allow the decision to be revealed later. */
-                        if ((~v & w) && r == -EALREADY)
+                        if ((~v & w) && r == -EBUSY)
                                 error_or_denial = true;
                         else
                                 return r;
diff --git a/src/shared/bus-polkit.c b/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
index 2e275f9da2..9cd0d6c677 100644
--- a/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
+++ b/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static int async_polkit_query_check_action(
 
         /* Also deny if we've got an auth. failure for a previous action */
         if (q->denied_action || q->error_action)
-                return -EALREADY;
+                return -EBUSY;
 
         return 0; /* no reply yet */
 }