diff --git a/src/shared/volatile-util.c b/src/shared/volatile-util.c
index 917ebfa4e43..5ca6ab3376c 100644
--- a/src/shared/volatile-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/volatile-util.c
@@ -12,27 +12,28 @@
 
 int query_volatile_mode(VolatileMode *ret) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *mode = NULL;
-        VolatileMode m = VOLATILE_NO;
         int r;
 
         r = proc_cmdline_get_key("systemd.volatile", PROC_CMDLINE_VALUE_OPTIONAL, &mode);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
-        if (r == 0)
-                goto finish;
+        if (r == 0) {
+                *ret = VOLATILE_NO;
+                return 0;
+        }
 
         if (mode) {
+                VolatileMode m;
+
                 m = volatile_mode_from_string(mode);
                 if (m < 0)
                         return -EINVAL;
+
+                *ret = m;
         } else
-                m = VOLATILE_YES;
+                *ret = VOLATILE_YES;
 
-        r = 1;
-
-finish:
-        *ret = m;
-        return r;
+        return 1;
 }
 
 static const char* const volatile_mode_table[_VOLATILE_MODE_MAX] = {