diff --git a/src/basic/memfd-util.c b/src/basic/memfd-util.c
index 946acb8751..0a75ed79fb 100644
--- a/src/basic/memfd-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/memfd-util.c
@@ -101,6 +101,22 @@ int memfd_get_sealed(int fd) {
         return FLAGS_SET(seals, F_SEAL_SHRINK | F_SEAL_GROW | F_SEAL_WRITE);
 }
 
+int memfd_set_sealed_gracefully(int fd) {
+        int r;
+
+        r = memfd_set_sealed(fd);
+        if (r != -EPERM)
+                return r;
+
+        /* Already sealed? Check if required seals are set. */
+        r = memfd_get_sealed(fd);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return r;
+        if (r == 0)
+                return -EPERM; /* Propagate the original error. */
+        return 0;
+}
+
 int memfd_get_size(int fd, uint64_t *ret) {
         struct stat stat;
 
diff --git a/src/basic/memfd-util.h b/src/basic/memfd-util.h
index befe41ac43..706d085bed 100644
--- a/src/basic/memfd-util.h
+++ b/src/basic/memfd-util.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ static inline int memfd_new_and_seal_string(const char *name, const char *s) {
 
 int memfd_set_sealed(int fd);
 int memfd_get_sealed(int fd);
+int memfd_set_sealed_gracefully(int fd);
 
 int memfd_get_size(int fd, uint64_t *ret);
 int memfd_set_size(int fd, uint64_t sz);
diff --git a/src/test/test-memfd-util.c b/src/test/test-memfd-util.c
index 971a9a8dc0..d7daf78fd4 100644
--- a/src/test/test-memfd-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-memfd-util.c
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ TEST(memfd_get_sealed) {
         ASSERT_EQ(size, new_size / 2);
 
         ASSERT_OK_ZERO(memfd_get_sealed(fd));
-        ASSERT_OK(memfd_set_sealed(fd));
+        ASSERT_OK(memfd_set_sealed_gracefully(fd));
         ASSERT_OK_POSITIVE(memfd_get_sealed(fd));
+        ASSERT_OK(memfd_set_sealed_gracefully(fd));
+        ASSERT_OK_POSITIVE(memfd_get_sealed(fd));
+        ASSERT_ERROR(memfd_set_sealed(fd), EPERM);
 }
 
 DEFINE_TEST_MAIN(LOG_DEBUG);