diff --git a/src/udev/udevd.c b/src/udev/udevd.c
index aeec7fa77c..3b15beb4b3 100644
--- a/src/udev/udevd.c
+++ b/src/udev/udevd.c
@@ -1617,9 +1617,11 @@ static int manager_new(Manager **ret, int fd_ctrl, int fd_uevent, const char *cg
         if (!manager->ctrl)
                 return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "Failed to initialize udev control socket");
 
-        r = udev_ctrl_enable_receiving(manager->ctrl);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to bind udev control socket: %m");
+        if (fd_ctrl < 0) {
+                r = udev_ctrl_enable_receiving(manager->ctrl);
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to bind udev control socket: %m");
+        }
 
         fd_ctrl = udev_ctrl_get_fd(manager->ctrl);
         if (fd_ctrl < 0)