diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl-util.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl-util.c
index 2482b7ccb2..08a3ebe128 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl-util.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl-util.c
@@ -327,14 +327,15 @@ int get_active_triggering_units(sd_bus *bus, const char *unit, bool ignore_maske
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        if (unit_name_is_valid(name, UNIT_NAME_TEMPLATE))
+                goto skip;
+
         if (ignore_masked) {
                 r = unit_is_masked(bus, name);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;
-                if (r > 0) {
-                        *ret = NULL;
-                        return 0;
-                }
+                if (r > 0)
+                        goto skip;
         }
 
         dbus_path = unit_dbus_path_from_name(name);
@@ -370,6 +371,10 @@ int get_active_triggering_units(sd_bus *bus, const char *unit, bool ignore_maske
 
         *ret = TAKE_PTR(active);
         return 0;
+
+skip:
+        *ret = NULL;
+        return 0;
 }
 
 void warn_triggering_units(sd_bus *bus, const char *unit, const char *operation, bool ignore_masked) {