diff --git a/man/journalctl.xml b/man/journalctl.xml
index 4bbc288b7a8..632a8134dbd 100644
--- a/man/journalctl.xml
+++ b/man/journalctl.xml
@@ -324,22 +324,28 @@
                                 <term><option>-u</option></term>
                                 <term><option>--unit=</option></term>
 
-                                <listitem><para>Show data only of the
-                                specified unit. This will add a match
-                                for <literal>_SYSTEMD_UNIT=</literal>
-                                for the specified
-                                unit.</para></listitem>
+                                <listitem><para>Show messages for the
+                                specified systemd unit. This will add
+                                a match for messages from the unit
+                                (<literal>_SYSTEMD_UNIT=</literal>)
+                                and additional matches for messages
+                                from systemd and messages about
+                                coredumps for the specified unit.
+                                </para></listitem>
                         </varlistentry>
 
                         <varlistentry>
                                 <term><option>--user-unit=</option></term>
 
-                                <listitem><para>Show data only of the
+                                <listitem><para>Show messages for the
                                 specified user session unit. This will
-                                add a match for
-                                <literal>_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=</literal>
-                                for the specified
-                                unit.</para></listitem>
+                                add a match for messages from the unit
+                                (<literal>_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=</literal>
+                                and <literal>_UID=</literal>) and
+                                additional matches for messages from
+                                session systemd and messages about
+                                coredumps for the specified unit.
+                                </para></listitem>
                         </varlistentry>
 
                         <varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/journal/journalctl.c b/src/journal/journalctl.c
index 3682329e468..65114b2ff8a 100644
--- a/src/journal/journalctl.c
+++ b/src/journal/journalctl.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <systemd/sd-journal.h>
 
 #include "log.h"
+#include "logs-show.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "path-util.h"
 #include "build.h"
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ static usec_t arg_interval = DEFAULT_FSS_INTERVAL_USEC;
 static usec_t arg_since, arg_until;
 static bool arg_since_set = false, arg_until_set = false;
 static const char *arg_unit = NULL;
-static const char *arg_unit_type = NULL;
+static bool arg_unit_system;
 static const char *arg_field = NULL;
 static bool arg_catalog = false;
 static bool arg_reverse = false;
@@ -187,8 +188,8 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 { "cursor",       required_argument, NULL, 'c'              },
                 { "since",        required_argument, NULL, ARG_SINCE        },
                 { "until",        required_argument, NULL, ARG_UNTIL        },
-                { "user-unit",    required_argument, NULL, ARG_USER_UNIT    },
                 { "unit",         required_argument, NULL, 'u'              },
+                { "user-unit",    required_argument, NULL, ARG_USER_UNIT    },
                 { "field",        required_argument, NULL, 'F'              },
                 { "catalog",      no_argument,       NULL, 'x'              },
                 { "list-catalog", no_argument,       NULL, ARG_LIST_CATALOG },
@@ -419,14 +420,14 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         arg_until_set = true;
                         break;
 
-                case ARG_USER_UNIT:
-                        arg_unit = optarg;
-                        arg_unit_type = "_SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=";
-                        break;
-
                 case 'u':
                         arg_unit = optarg;
-                        arg_unit_type = "_SYSTEMD_UNIT=";
+                        arg_unit_system = true;
+                        break;
+
+                case ARG_USER_UNIT:
+                        arg_unit = optarg;
+                        arg_unit_system = false;
                         break;
 
                 case '?':
@@ -604,16 +605,12 @@ static int add_unit(sd_journal *j) {
         if (!u)
                 return log_oom();
 
-        m = strappend(arg_unit_type, u);
-
-        if (!m)
-                return log_oom();
-
-        r = sd_journal_add_match(j, m, strlen(m));
-        if (r < 0) {
-                log_error("Failed to add match: %s", strerror(-r));
+        if (arg_unit_system)
+                r = add_matches_for_unit(j, u);
+        else
+                r = add_matches_for_user_unit(j, u, getuid());
+        if (r < 0)
                 return r;
-        }
 
         return 0;
 }