diff --git a/src/locale/localed.c b/src/locale/localed.c
index 298f176e40..1cb049e74a 100644
--- a/src/locale/localed.c
+++ b/src/locale/localed.c
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static int method_set_locale(sd_bus_message *m, void *userdata, sd_bus_error *er
                 r = locale_write_data(c, &settings);
                 if (r < 0) {
                         log_error_errno(r, "Failed to set locale: %m");
-                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set locale: %s", strerror(-r));
+                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set locale: %m");
                 }
 
                 locale_update_system_manager(c, sd_bus_message_get_bus(m));
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static int method_set_vc_keyboard(sd_bus_message *m, void *userdata, sd_bus_erro
                 r = vconsole_write_data(c);
                 if (r < 0) {
                         log_error_errno(r, "Failed to set virtual console keymap: %m");
-                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set virtual console keymap: %s", strerror(-r));
+                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set virtual console keymap: %m");
                 }
 
                 log_info("Changed virtual console keymap to '%s' toggle '%s'",
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ static int method_set_x11_keyboard(sd_bus_message *m, void *userdata, sd_bus_err
                 r = x11_write_data(c);
                 if (r < 0) {
                         log_error_errno(r, "Failed to set X11 keyboard layout: %m");
-                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set X11 keyboard layout: %s", strerror(-r));
+                        return sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to set X11 keyboard layout: %m");
                 }
 
                 log_info("Changed X11 keyboard layout to '%s' model '%s' variant '%s' options '%s'",
diff --git a/src/machine/machined-dbus.c b/src/machine/machined-dbus.c
index 5e2462cba2..e40f40a263 100644
--- a/src/machine/machined-dbus.c
+++ b/src/machine/machined-dbus.c
@@ -444,7 +444,9 @@ static int method_register_machine_internal(sd_bus_message *message, bool read_n
 
         r = cg_pid_get_unit(m->leader, &m->unit);
         if (r < 0) {
-                r = sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r, "Failed to determine unit of process "PID_FMT" : %s", m->leader, strerror(-r));
+                r = sd_bus_error_set_errnof(error, r,
+                                            "Failed to determine unit of process "PID_FMT" : %m",
+                                            m->leader);
                 goto fail;
         }