diff --git a/src/login/logind-dbus.c b/src/login/logind-dbus.c
index 7e55173e27..b9b2524822 100644
--- a/src/login/logind-dbus.c
+++ b/src/login/logind-dbus.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "format-util.h"
 #include "fs-util.h"
 #include "logind-dbus.h"
+#include "logind-polkit.h"
 #include "logind-seat-dbus.h"
 #include "logind-session-dbus.h"
 #include "logind-user-dbus.h"
@@ -1047,15 +1048,7 @@ static int method_activate_session_on_seat(sd_bus_message *message, void *userda
                 return sd_bus_error_setf(error, BUS_ERROR_SESSION_NOT_ON_SEAT,
                                          "Session %s not on seat %s", session_name, seat_name);
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &m->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, m, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
diff --git a/src/login/logind-polkit.c b/src/login/logind-polkit.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d221bee8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/login/logind-polkit.c
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+ */
+
+#include "bus-polkit.h"
+#include "logind-polkit.h"
+#include "missing_capability.h"
+#include "user-util.h"
+
+int check_polkit_chvt(sd_bus_message *message, Manager *manager, sd_bus_error *error) {
+#if ENABLE_POLKIT
+        return bus_verify_polkit_async(
+                        message,
+                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
+                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
+                        NULL,
+                        false,
+                        UID_INVALID,
+                        &manager->polkit_registry,
+                        error);
+#else
+        /* Allow chvt when polkit is not present. This allows a service to start a graphical session as a
+         * non-root user when polkit is not compiled in, more closely matching the default polkit policy */
+        return 1;
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/src/login/logind-polkit.h b/src/login/logind-polkit.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8c124f834d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/login/logind-polkit.h
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+ */
+#pragma once
+
+#include "sd-bus.h"
+
+#include "bus-object.h"
+#include "logind.h"
+
+int check_polkit_chvt(sd_bus_message *message, Manager *manager, sd_bus_error *error);
diff --git a/src/login/logind-seat-dbus.c b/src/login/logind-seat-dbus.c
index a60ed2d3c2..9c2625cdcc 100644
--- a/src/login/logind-seat-dbus.c
+++ b/src/login/logind-seat-dbus.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "bus-polkit.h"
 #include "bus-util.h"
 #include "logind-dbus.h"
+#include "logind-polkit.h"
 #include "logind-seat-dbus.h"
 #include "logind-seat.h"
 #include "logind-session-dbus.h"
@@ -179,15 +180,7 @@ static int method_activate_session(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_b
         if (session->seat != s)
                 return sd_bus_error_setf(error, BUS_ERROR_SESSION_NOT_ON_SEAT, "Session %s not on seat %s", name, s->id);
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &s->manager->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, s->manager, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
@@ -215,15 +208,7 @@ static int method_switch_to(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_bus_erro
         if (to <= 0)
                 return sd_bus_error_setf(error, SD_BUS_ERROR_INVALID_ARGS, "Invalid virtual terminal");
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &s->manager->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, s->manager, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
@@ -243,15 +228,7 @@ static int method_switch_to_next(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_bus
         assert(message);
         assert(s);
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &s->manager->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, s->manager, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
@@ -271,15 +248,7 @@ static int method_switch_to_previous(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd
         assert(message);
         assert(s);
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &s->manager->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, s->manager, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
diff --git a/src/login/logind-session-dbus.c b/src/login/logind-session-dbus.c
index b5d240be6a..d342dc4193 100644
--- a/src/login/logind-session-dbus.c
+++ b/src/login/logind-session-dbus.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "fd-util.h"
 #include "logind-brightness.h"
 #include "logind-dbus.h"
+#include "logind-polkit.h"
 #include "logind-seat-dbus.h"
 #include "logind-session-dbus.h"
 #include "logind-session-device.h"
@@ -192,15 +193,7 @@ int bus_session_method_activate(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_bus_
         assert(message);
         assert(s);
 
-        r = bus_verify_polkit_async(
-                        message,
-                        CAP_SYS_ADMIN,
-                        "org.freedesktop.login1.chvt",
-                        NULL,
-                        false,
-                        UID_INVALID,
-                        &s->manager->polkit_registry,
-                        error);
+        r = check_polkit_chvt(message, s->manager, error);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r == 0)
diff --git a/src/login/meson.build b/src/login/meson.build
index ca64492383..156c391d8a 100644
--- a/src/login/meson.build
+++ b/src/login/meson.build
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ liblogind_core_sources = files('''
         logind-device.h
         logind-inhibit.c
         logind-inhibit.h
+        logind-polkit.c
+        logind-polkit.h
         logind-seat-dbus.c
         logind-seat-dbus.h
         logind-seat.c