diff --git a/src/core/dbus-manager.c b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
index 64a612a7f0..c751e84253 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
@@ -1902,6 +1902,12 @@ static int install_error(
                                               "Unit %s is transient or generated.", changes[i].path);
                         goto found;
 
+                case -EUCLEAN:
+                        r = sd_bus_error_setf(error, BUS_ERROR_BAD_UNIT_SETTING,
+                                              "\"%s\" is not a valid unit name.",
+                                              changes[i].path);
+                        goto found;
+
                 case -ELOOP:
                         r = sd_bus_error_setf(error, BUS_ERROR_UNIT_LINKED,
                                               "Refusing to operate on alias name or linked unit file: %s",
diff --git a/src/shared/install.c b/src/shared/install.c
index 53446611be..d291eb6f21 100644
--- a/src/shared/install.c
+++ b/src/shared/install.c
@@ -362,6 +362,12 @@ void unit_file_dump_changes(int r, const char *verb, const UnitFileChange *chang
                                         verb, changes[i].path);
                         logged = true;
                         break;
+                case -EUCLEAN:
+                        log_error_errno(changes[i].type,
+                                        "Failed to %s unit, \"%s\" is not a valid unit name.",
+                                        verb, changes[i].path);
+                        logged = true;
+                        break;
                 case -ELOOP:
                         log_error_errno(changes[i].type, "Failed to %s unit, refusing to operate on linked unit file %s",
                                         verb, changes[i].path);
@@ -1794,7 +1800,8 @@ static int install_info_symlink_wants(
                         return q;
 
                 if (!unit_name_is_valid(dst, UNIT_NAME_ANY)) {
-                        r = -EINVAL;
+                        unit_file_changes_add(changes, n_changes, -EUCLEAN, dst, NULL);
+                        r = -EUCLEAN;
                         continue;
                 }