diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
index 2350220bf29..4292679b5f2 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
@@ -2358,6 +2358,19 @@ static int generic_array_bisect(
                 uint64_t *ret_offset,
                 uint64_t *ret_idx) {
 
+        /* Given an entry array chain, this function finds the object "closest" to the given needle in the
+         * chain, taking into account the provided direction. A function can be provided to determine how
+         * an object is matched against the given needle.
+         *
+         * Given a journal file, the offset of an object and the needle, the test_object() function should
+         * return TEST_LEFT if the needle is located earlier in the entry array chain, TEST_RIGHT if the
+         * needle is located later in the entry array chain and TEST_FOUND if the object matches the needle.
+         * If test_object() returns TEST_FOUND for a specific object, that object's information will be used
+         * to populate the return values of this function. If test_object() never returns TEST_FOUND, the
+         * return values are populated with the details of one of the objects closest to the needle. If the
+         * direction is DIRECTION_UP, the earlier object is used. Otherwise, the later object is used.
+         */
+
         uint64_t a, p, t = 0, i = 0, last_p = 0, last_index = UINT64_MAX;
         bool subtract_one = false;
         Object *array = NULL;
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
index 80145c43e99..705a35de3f2 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/sd-journal.c
@@ -493,7 +493,6 @@ static int next_for_match(
 
         int r;
         uint64_t np = 0;
-        Object *n;
 
         assert(j);
         assert(m);
@@ -569,12 +568,12 @@ static int next_for_match(
 
         assert(np > 0);
 
-        r = journal_file_move_to_object(f, OBJECT_ENTRY, np, &n);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
+        if (ret) {
+                r = journal_file_move_to_object(f, OBJECT_ENTRY, np, ret);
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return r;
+        }
 
-        if (ret)
-                *ret = n;
         if (offset)
                 *offset = np;
 
@@ -633,7 +632,6 @@ static int find_location_for_match(
 
         } else if (m->type == MATCH_OR_TERM) {
                 uint64_t np = 0;
-                Object *n;
 
                 /* Find the earliest match */
 
@@ -652,12 +650,12 @@ static int find_location_for_match(
                 if (np == 0)
                         return 0;
 
-                r = journal_file_move_to_object(f, OBJECT_ENTRY, np, &n);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
+                if (ret) {
+                        r = journal_file_move_to_object(f, OBJECT_ENTRY, np, ret);
+                        if (r < 0)
+                                return r;
+                }
 
-                if (ret)
-                        *ret = n;
                 if (offset)
                         *offset = np;