3 files changed, 6 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 64acdf76e1..b44e7f9cdd 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -1799,10 +1799,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 finish:
         pager_close();
 
-        if (m) {
-                manager_free(m);
-                m = NULL;
-        }
+        m = manager_free(m);
 
         for (j = 0; j < ELEMENTSOF(arg_default_rlimit); j++) {
                 free(arg_default_rlimit[j]);
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 7abc8a9a5e..4c3264b373 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -889,11 +889,12 @@ static void manager_clear_jobs_and_units(Manager *m) {
         m->n_running_jobs = 0;
 }
 
-void manager_free(Manager *m) {
+Manager* manager_free(Manager *m) {
         UnitType c;
         int i;
 
-        assert(m);
+        if (!m)
+                return NULL;
 
         manager_clear_jobs_and_units(m);
 
@@ -955,6 +956,7 @@ void manager_free(Manager *m) {
         hashmap_free(m->units_requiring_mounts_for);
 
         free(m);
+        return NULL;
 }
 
 int manager_enumerate(Manager *m) {
diff --git a/src/core/manager.h b/src/core/manager.h
index ab7254849c..02535023a3 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.h
+++ b/src/core/manager.h
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ struct Manager {
 };
 
 int manager_new(SystemdRunningAs running_as, bool test_run, Manager **m);
-void manager_free(Manager *m);
+Manager* manager_free(Manager *m);
 
 int manager_enumerate(Manager *m);
 int manager_startup(Manager *m, FILE *serialization, FDSet *fds);