diff --git a/src/machine/machinectl.c b/src/machine/machinectl.c
index 6dbdba12fd4..afb89853be4 100644
--- a/src/machine/machinectl.c
+++ b/src/machine/machinectl.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include "sigbus.h"
 #include "signal-util.h"
 #include "sort-util.h"
+#include "spawn-ask-password-agent.h"
 #include "spawn-polkit-agent.h"
 #include "stdio-util.h"
 #include "string-table.h"
@@ -1722,6 +1723,7 @@ static int start_machine(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         assert(bus);
 
         polkit_agent_open_if_enabled(arg_transport, arg_ask_password);
+        ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled(arg_transport, arg_ask_password);
 
         r = bus_wait_for_jobs_new(bus, &w);
         if (r < 0)
diff --git a/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.c b/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.c
index 309071c89db..ddaebf0f61a 100644
--- a/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.c
+++ b/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.c
@@ -46,3 +46,16 @@ void ask_password_agent_close(void) {
         (void) wait_for_terminate(agent_pid, NULL);
         agent_pid = 0;
 }
+
+int ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled(BusTransport transport, bool ask_password) {
+
+        /* Open the ask password agent as a child process if necessary */
+
+        if (transport != BUS_TRANSPORT_LOCAL)
+                return 0;
+
+        if (!ask_password)
+                return 0;
+
+        return ask_password_agent_open();
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.h b/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.h
index 97e73bda44c..97b12fe2685 100644
--- a/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.h
+++ b/src/shared/spawn-ask-password-agent.h
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+ */
 #pragma once
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
+#include "bus-util.h"
+
 int ask_password_agent_open(void);
 void ask_password_agent_close(void);
+
+int ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled(BusTransport transport, bool ask_password);
diff --git a/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.c b/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.c
index 180cb7964cf..4d6c0cae6ca 100644
--- a/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.c
+++ b/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.c
@@ -83,3 +83,16 @@ void polkit_agent_close(void) {
 }
 
 #endif
+
+int polkit_agent_open_if_enabled(BusTransport transport, bool ask_password) {
+
+        /* Open the polkit agent as a child process if necessary */
+
+        if (transport != BUS_TRANSPORT_LOCAL)
+                return 0;
+
+        if (!ask_password)
+                return 0;
+
+        return polkit_agent_open();
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.h b/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.h
index 190b970b6f2..56b0175944e 100644
--- a/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.h
+++ b/src/shared/spawn-polkit-agent.h
@@ -1,22 +1,11 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+ */
 #pragma once
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
 #include "bus-util.h"
 
 int polkit_agent_open(void);
 void polkit_agent_close(void);
 
-static inline int polkit_agent_open_if_enabled(
-                BusTransport transport,
-                bool ask_password) {
-
-        /* Open the polkit agent as a child process if necessary */
-
-        if (transport != BUS_TRANSPORT_LOCAL)
-                return 0;
-
-        if (!ask_password)
-                return 0;
-
-        return polkit_agent_open();
-}
+int polkit_agent_open_if_enabled(BusTransport transport, bool ask_password);
diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
index 4be695d5b64..012867fbb0e 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
@@ -236,22 +236,16 @@ static void release_busses(void) {
                 buses[w] = sd_bus_flush_close_unref(buses[w]);
 }
 
-static void ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled(void) {
+static void ask_password_agent_open_maybe(void) {
         /* Open the password agent as a child process if necessary */
 
         if (arg_dry_run)
                 return;
 
-        if (!arg_ask_password)
-                return;
-
         if (arg_scope != UNIT_FILE_SYSTEM)
                 return;
 
-        if (arg_transport != BUS_TRANSPORT_LOCAL)
-                return;
-
-        ask_password_agent_open();
+        ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled(arg_transport, arg_ask_password);
 }
 
 static void polkit_agent_open_maybe(void) {
@@ -3071,7 +3065,7 @@ static int start_unit(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        ask_password_agent_open_if_enabled();
+        ask_password_agent_open_maybe();
         polkit_agent_open_maybe();
 
         if (arg_action == ACTION_SYSTEMCTL) {