diff --git a/test/networkd-test.py b/test/networkd-test.py
index 8b1aeeda35..beb3bd9e1d 100755
--- a/test/networkd-test.py
+++ b/test/networkd-test.py
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ def setUpModule():
     # create static systemd-network user for networkd-test-router.service (it
     # needs to do some stuff as root and can't start as user; but networkd
     # still insists on the user)
-    subprocess.call(['adduser', '--system', '--no-create-home', 'systemd-network'])
+    if subprocess.call(['getent', 'passwd', 'systemd-network']) != 0:
+        subprocess.call(['useradd', '--system', '--no-create-home', 'systemd-network'])
 
     for d in ['/etc/systemd/network', '/run/systemd/network',
               '/run/systemd/netif', '/run/systemd/resolve']:
@@ -419,7 +420,9 @@ DHCP={}
             subprocess.call(['ip', 'a', 'show', 'dev', self.iface])
             print('---- networkctl status {} ----'.format(self.iface))
             sys.stdout.flush()
-            subprocess.call(['networkctl', 'status', self.iface])
+            rc = subprocess.call(['networkctl', 'status', self.iface])
+            if rc != 0:
+                print("'networkctl status' exited with an unexpected code {}".format(rc))
             self.show_journal('systemd-networkd.service')
             self.print_server_log()
             raise