diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
index b9d9b3aa961..d850b8bdf20 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl.c
@@ -4740,6 +4740,11 @@ static int enable_unit(sd_bus *bus, char **args) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* If the operation was fully executed by the SysV compat,
+         * let's finish early */
+        if (strv_isempty(names))
+                return 0;
+
         if (!bus || avoid_bus()) {
                 if (streq(verb, "enable")) {
                         r = unit_file_enable(arg_scope, arg_runtime, arg_root, names, arg_force, &changes, &n_changes);