diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
index a71962c24c..32777e386b 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
@@ -2256,7 +2256,11 @@ _public_ int sd_event_prepare(sd_event *e) {
 
 pending:
         e->state = SD_EVENT_PREPARED;
-        return sd_event_wait(e, 0);
+        r = sd_event_wait(e, 0);
+        if (r == 0)
+                e->state = SD_EVENT_PREPARED;
+
+        return r;
 }
 
 _public_ int sd_event_wait(sd_event *e, uint64_t timeout) {