diff --git a/src/core/cgroup.c b/src/core/cgroup.c
index bb78ded3eb..9296a5e4ac 100644
--- a/src/core/cgroup.c
+++ b/src/core/cgroup.c
@@ -5134,7 +5134,7 @@ int unit_cgroup_freezer_action(Unit *u, FreezerAction action) {
         unit_next_freezer_state(u, action, &next, &target);
 
         CGroupRuntime *crt = unit_get_cgroup_runtime(u);
-        if (!crt || !crt->cgroup_realized) {
+        if (!crt || !crt->cgroup_path) {
                 /* No realized cgroup = nothing to freeze */
                 u->freezer_state = freezer_state_finish(next);
                 return 0;