diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-server.c b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-server.c
index 81de2ef7fc..e2ea79f584 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-server.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-server.c
@@ -1202,6 +1202,10 @@ int sd_dhcp_server_start(sd_dhcp_server *server) {
 
         assert_return(server, -EINVAL);
         assert_return(server->event, -EINVAL);
+
+        if (sd_dhcp_server_is_running(server))
+                return 0;
+
         assert_return(!server->receive_message, -EBUSY);
         assert_return(server->fd_raw < 0, -EBUSY);
         assert_return(server->fd < 0, -EBUSY);
diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-server.c b/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-server.c
index f051420708..a5c9bfeafb 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-server.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/test-dhcp-server.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static int test_basic(sd_event *event, bool bind_to_interface) {
                 return log_info_errno(r, "sd_dhcp_server_start failed: %m");
         assert_se(r >= 0);
 
-        assert_se(sd_dhcp_server_start(server) == -EBUSY);
+        assert_se(sd_dhcp_server_start(server) >= 0);
         assert_se(sd_dhcp_server_stop(server) >= 0);
         assert_se(sd_dhcp_server_stop(server) >= 0);
         assert_se(sd_dhcp_server_start(server) >= 0);