diff --git a/man/systemctl.xml b/man/systemctl.xml
index 83cc4eb560..0778c38ca4 100644
--- a/man/systemctl.xml
+++ b/man/systemctl.xml
@@ -295,7 +295,8 @@
         transactions from replacing these jobs (or even being enqueued
         while the irreversible jobs are still pending). Irreversible
         jobs can still be cancelled using the <command>cancel</command>
-        command.</para>
+        command. This job mode should be used on any transaction which
+        pulls in <filename>shutdown.target</filename>.</para>
 
         <para><literal>isolate</literal> is only valid for start
         operations and causes all other units to be stopped when the
diff --git a/man/systemd.xml b/man/systemd.xml
index e8178ca4bb..b455b605cb 100644
--- a/man/systemd.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.xml
@@ -561,7 +561,8 @@
         <para>systemd user managers will start the
         <filename>exit.target</filename> unit when this signal is
         received. This is mostly equivalent to <command>systemctl
-        --user start exit.target</command>.</para></listitem>
+        --user start exit.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -570,13 +571,13 @@
         <listitem><para>Upon receiving this signal the systemd system
         manager will start the
         <filename>ctrl-alt-del.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
-        ctl-alt-del.target</command>. If this signal is received more
-        than 7 times per 2s, an immediate reboot is triggered.
-        Note that pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del on the console will trigger
-        this signal. Hence, if a reboot is hanging, pressing
-        Ctrl-Alt-Del more than 7 times in 2s is a relatively safe way
-        to trigger an immediate reboot.</para>
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl start ctl-alt-del.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>. If this signal is
+        received more than 7 times per 2s, an immediate reboot is
+        triggered.  Note that pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del on the console
+        will trigger this signal. Hence, if a reboot is hanging,
+        pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del more than 7 times in 2s is a relatively
+        safe way to trigger an immediate reboot.</para>
 
         <para>systemd user managers treat this signal the same way as
         <constant>SIGTERM</constant>.</para></listitem>
@@ -634,7 +635,7 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Enters default mode, starts the
         <filename>default.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl isolate
         default.target</command>.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
@@ -661,8 +662,9 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Halts the machine, starts the
         <filename>halt.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
-        halt.target</command>.</para></listitem>
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl start halt.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>.</para>
+        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -670,8 +672,9 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Powers off the machine, starts the
         <filename>poweroff.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
-        poweroff.target</command>.</para></listitem>
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl start poweroff.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>.</para>
+        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -679,8 +682,9 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Reboots the machine, starts the
         <filename>reboot.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
-        reboot.target</command>.</para></listitem>
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl start reboot.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>.</para>
+        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
@@ -688,8 +692,9 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Reboots the machine via kexec, starts the
         <filename>kexec.target</filename> unit. This is mostly
-        equivalent to <command>systemctl start
-        kexec.target</command>.</para></listitem>
+        equivalent to <command>systemctl start kexec.target
+        --job-mode=replace-irreversible</command>.</para>
+        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 1387341367..939d117ad1 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -2093,7 +2093,8 @@ static int manager_dispatch_signal_fd(sd_event_source *source, int fd, uint32_t
                         if (MANAGER_IS_SYSTEM(m))
                                 manager_handle_ctrl_alt_del(m);
                         else
-                                manager_start_target(m, SPECIAL_EXIT_TARGET, JOB_REPLACE);
+                                manager_start_target(m, SPECIAL_EXIT_TARGET,
+                                                        JOB_REPLACE_IRREVERSIBLY);
                         break;
 
                 case SIGWINCH:
@@ -2161,14 +2162,17 @@ static int manager_dispatch_signal_fd(sd_event_source *source, int fd, uint32_t
                 default: {
 
                         /* Starting SIGRTMIN+0 */
-                        static const char * const target_table[] = {
-                                [0] = SPECIAL_DEFAULT_TARGET,
-                                [1] = SPECIAL_RESCUE_TARGET,
-                                [2] = SPECIAL_EMERGENCY_TARGET,
-                                [3] = SPECIAL_HALT_TARGET,
-                                [4] = SPECIAL_POWEROFF_TARGET,
-                                [5] = SPECIAL_REBOOT_TARGET,
-                                [6] = SPECIAL_KEXEC_TARGET
+                        static const struct {
+                                const char *target;
+                                JobMode mode;
+                        } target_table[] = {
+                                [0] = { SPECIAL_DEFAULT_TARGET,   JOB_ISOLATE },
+                                [1] = { SPECIAL_RESCUE_TARGET,    JOB_ISOLATE },
+                                [2] = { SPECIAL_EMERGENCY_TARGET, JOB_ISOLATE },
+                                [3] = { SPECIAL_HALT_TARGET,      JOB_REPLACE_IRREVERSIBLY },
+                                [4] = { SPECIAL_POWEROFF_TARGET,  JOB_REPLACE_IRREVERSIBLY },
+                                [5] = { SPECIAL_REBOOT_TARGET,    JOB_REPLACE_IRREVERSIBLY },
+                                [6] = { SPECIAL_KEXEC_TARGET,     JOB_REPLACE_IRREVERSIBLY }
                         };
 
                         /* Starting SIGRTMIN+13, so that target halt and system halt are 10 apart */
@@ -2182,8 +2186,8 @@ static int manager_dispatch_signal_fd(sd_event_source *source, int fd, uint32_t
                         if ((int) sfsi.ssi_signo >= SIGRTMIN+0 &&
                             (int) sfsi.ssi_signo < SIGRTMIN+(int) ELEMENTSOF(target_table)) {
                                 int idx = (int) sfsi.ssi_signo - SIGRTMIN;
-                                manager_start_target(m, target_table[idx],
-                                                     (idx == 1 || idx == 2) ? JOB_ISOLATE : JOB_REPLACE);
+                                manager_start_target(m, target_table[idx].target,
+                                                        target_table[idx].mode);
                                 break;
                         }