diff --git a/src/basic/virt.c b/src/basic/virt.c
index c22bcf9aea7..f21a36c6fea 100644
--- a/src/basic/virt.c
+++ b/src/basic/virt.c
@@ -485,8 +485,10 @@ int detect_container(void) {
                         const char *pf = procfs_file_alloca(ptrace_pid, "comm");
                         _cleanup_free_ char *ptrace_comm = NULL;
                         r = read_one_line_file(pf, &ptrace_comm);
-                        if (r >= 0 && startswith(ptrace_comm, "proot"))
-                                return VIRTUALIZATION_PROOT;
+                        if (r >= 0 && startswith(ptrace_comm, "proot")) {
+                                r = VIRTUALIZATION_PROOT;
+                                goto finish;
+                        }
                 }
         }