diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
index 328c11a2cd..490b739f9e 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
@@ -2443,6 +2443,9 @@ static int unit_file_find_path(LookupPaths *lp, const char *unit_name, char **re
                 return 1;
         }
 
+        if (ret_unit_path)
+                *ret_unit_path = NULL;
+
         return 0;
 }