diff --git a/src/basic/user-util.h b/src/basic/user-util.h
index 24793530e6..b7e71720a5 100644
--- a/src/basic/user-util.h
+++ b/src/basic/user-util.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <shadow.h>
 
 #include "basic-forward.h"
+#include "errno-util.h"
 
 /* Users managed by systemd-homed. See https://systemd.io/UIDS-GIDS for details
  * how this range fits into the rest of the world. */
@@ -25,6 +26,13 @@
 #define STRERROR_USER(errnum) ((errnum) == -ESRCH ? "Unknown user" : (errnum) == -ENOEXEC ? "Not a system user" : STRERROR(errnum))
 #define STRERROR_GROUP(errnum) ((errnum) == -ESRCH ? "Unknown group" : (errnum) == -ENOEXEC ? "Not a system group" : STRERROR(errnum))
 
+static inline bool ERRNO_IS_NEG_BAD_ACCOUNT(intmax_t r) {
+        return IN_SET(r,
+                      -ESRCH,
+                      -ENOEXEC);
+}
+_DEFINE_ABS_WRAPPER(BAD_ACCOUNT);
+
 bool uid_is_valid(uid_t uid) _const_;
 
 static inline bool gid_is_valid(gid_t gid) {
diff --git a/src/core/exec-invoke.c b/src/core/exec-invoke.c
index 97a7107384..e9c4e3f624 100644
--- a/src/core/exec-invoke.c
+++ b/src/core/exec-invoke.c
@@ -2087,8 +2087,11 @@ static int build_environment(
                 assert(!c->user);
 
                 r = get_fixed_user("root", /* prefer_nss = */ false, &username, NULL, NULL, &home, &shell);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to determine user credentials for root: %m");
+                if (r < 0) {
+                        log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to determine credentials for user root: %s",
+                                        STRERROR_USER(r));
+                        return ERRNO_IS_NEG_BAD_ACCOUNT(r) ? -EINVAL : r;  /* Suppress confusing errno */
+                }
         }
 
         bool set_user_login_env = exec_context_get_set_login_environment(c);
@@ -5265,7 +5268,9 @@ int exec_invoke(
                                            &username, &uid, &gid, &pwent_home, &shell);
                         if (r < 0) {
                                 *exit_status = EXIT_USER;
-                                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to determine user credentials: %m");
+                                log_error_errno(r, "Failed to determine credentials for user '%s': %s",
+                                                u, STRERROR_USER(r));
+                                return ERRNO_IS_NEG_BAD_ACCOUNT(r) ? -EINVAL : r;  /* Suppress confusing errno */
                         }
                 }
 
@@ -5273,7 +5278,9 @@ int exec_invoke(
                         r = get_fixed_group(context->group, &groupname, &gid);
                         if (r < 0) {
                                 *exit_status = EXIT_GROUP;
-                                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to determine group credentials: %m");
+                                log_error_errno(r, "Failed to determine credentials for group '%s': %s",
+                                                u, STRERROR_GROUP(r));
+                                return ERRNO_IS_NEG_BAD_ACCOUNT(r) ? -EINVAL : r;  /* Suppress confusing errno */
                         }
                 }
         }
diff --git a/src/core/scope.c b/src/core/scope.c
index 50dafacb42..a6b4cebca5 100644
--- a/src/core/scope.c
+++ b/src/core/scope.c
@@ -348,7 +348,9 @@ static int scope_enter_start_chown(Scope *s) {
 
                         r = get_user_creds(&user, &uid, &gid, NULL, NULL, 0);
                         if (r < 0) {
-                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r, "Failed to resolve user \"%s\": %m", user);
+                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r,
+                                                     "Failed to resolve user '%s': %s",
+                                                     user, STRERROR_USER(r));
                                 _exit(EXIT_USER);
                         }
                 }
@@ -358,7 +360,9 @@ static int scope_enter_start_chown(Scope *s) {
 
                         r = get_group_creds(&group, &gid, 0);
                         if (r < 0) {
-                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r, "Failed to resolve group \"%s\": %m", group);
+                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r,
+                                                     "Failed to resolve group '%s': %s",
+                                                     group, STRERROR_GROUP(r));
                                 _exit(EXIT_GROUP);
                         }
                 }
diff --git a/src/core/socket.c b/src/core/socket.c
index c53f84906f..dd4b96c213 100644
--- a/src/core/socket.c
+++ b/src/core/socket.c
@@ -2056,7 +2056,9 @@ static int socket_chown(Socket *s, PidRef *ret_pid) {
 
                         r = get_user_creds(&user, &uid, &gid, NULL, NULL, 0);
                         if (r < 0) {
-                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r, "Failed to resolve user %s: %m", user);
+                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r,
+                                                     "Failed to resolve user '%s': %s",
+                                                     user, STRERROR_USER(r));
                                 _exit(EXIT_USER);
                         }
                 }
@@ -2066,7 +2068,9 @@ static int socket_chown(Socket *s, PidRef *ret_pid) {
 
                         r = get_group_creds(&group, &gid, 0);
                         if (r < 0) {
-                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r, "Failed to resolve group %s: %m", group);
+                                log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), r,
+                                                     "Failed to resolve group '%s': %s",
+                                                     group, STRERROR_GROUP(r));
                                 _exit(EXIT_GROUP);
                         }
                 }