diff --git a/src/core/load-fragment.c b/src/core/load-fragment.c
index c5ba7b10461..0de9adb6e56 100644
--- a/src/core/load-fragment.c
+++ b/src/core/load-fragment.c
@@ -4703,7 +4703,9 @@ int unit_load_fragment(Unit *u) {
                         return r;
 
                 if (null_or_empty(&st)) {
-                        u->load_state = UNIT_MASKED;
+                        /* Unit file is masked */
+
+                        u->load_state = u->perpetual ? UNIT_LOADED : UNIT_MASKED; /* don't allow perpetual units to ever be masked */
                         u->fragment_mtime = 0;
                 } else {
                         u->load_state = UNIT_LOADED;
diff --git a/src/core/mount.c b/src/core/mount.c
index 12b2e512e82..668c4d7e895 100644
--- a/src/core/mount.c
+++ b/src/core/mount.c
@@ -537,10 +537,9 @@ static int mount_verify(Mount *m) {
         }
 
         p = get_mount_parameters_fragment(m);
-        if (p && !p->what) {
-                log_unit_error(UNIT(m), "What= setting is missing. Refusing.");
-                return -ENOEXEC;
-        }
+        if (p && !p->what && !UNIT(m)->perpetual)
+                return log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(m), SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(ENOEXEC),
+                                            "What= setting is missing. Refusing.");
 
         if (m->exec_context.pam_name && m->kill_context.kill_mode != KILL_CONTROL_GROUP) {
                 log_unit_error(UNIT(m), "Unit has PAM enabled. Kill mode must be set to control-group'. Refusing.");