diff --git a/src/network/networkd-network.c b/src/network/networkd-network.c
index 4fd48be52a..ed59584fd1 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-network.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-network.c
@@ -164,10 +164,10 @@ int network_verify(Network *network) {
             strv_isempty(network->match_path) && strv_isempty(network->match_driver) &&
             strv_isempty(network->match_type) && strv_isempty(network->match_name) &&
             strv_isempty(network->match_property) && strv_isempty(network->match_ssid) && !network->conditions)
-                log_warning("%s: No valid settings found in the [Match] section. "
-                            "The file will match all interfaces. "
-                            "If that is intended, please add Name=* in the [Match] section.",
-                            network->filename);
+                return log_warning_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
+                                         "%s: No valid settings found in the [Match] section, ignoring file. "
+                                         "To match all interfaces, add Name=* in the [Match] section.",
+                                         network->filename);
 
         /* skip out early if configuration does not match the environment */
         if (!condition_test_list(network->conditions, NULL, NULL, NULL))
diff --git a/src/network/test-network.c b/src/network/test-network.c
index 7c37563ac2..b29523b318 100644
--- a/src/network/test-network.c
+++ b/src/network/test-network.c
@@ -122,11 +122,18 @@ static int test_load_config(Manager *manager) {
 static void test_network_get(Manager *manager, sd_device *loopback) {
         Network *network;
         const struct ether_addr mac = ETHER_ADDR_NULL;
+        int r;
 
-        /* let's assume that the test machine does not have a .network file
-           that applies to the loopback device... */
-        assert_se(network_get(manager, loopback, "lo", NULL, &mac, &mac, 0, NULL, NULL, &network) == -ENOENT);
-        assert_se(!network);
+        /* Let's hope that the test machine does not have a .network file that applies to loopback device…
+         * But it is still possible, so let's allow that case too. */
+        r = network_get(manager, loopback, "lo", NULL, &mac, &mac, 0, NULL, NULL, &network);
+        if (r == -ENOENT)
+                /* The expected case */
+                assert_se(!network);
+        else if (r >= 0)
+                assert_se(network);
+        else
+                assert_not_reached("bad error!");
 }
 
 static void test_address_equality(void) {
diff --git a/src/udev/net/link-config.c b/src/udev/net/link-config.c
index e1a25a54a6..bcf9be1a0d 100644
--- a/src/udev/net/link-config.c
+++ b/src/udev/net/link-config.c
@@ -162,11 +162,12 @@ int link_load_one(link_config_ctx *ctx, const char *filename) {
 
         if (set_isempty(link->match_mac) && set_isempty(link->match_permanent_mac) &&
             strv_isempty(link->match_path) && strv_isempty(link->match_driver) && strv_isempty(link->match_type) &&
-            strv_isempty(link->match_name) && strv_isempty(link->match_property) && !link->conditions)
-                log_warning("%s: No valid settings found in the [Match] section. "
-                            "The file will match all interfaces. "
-                            "If that is intended, please add OriginalName=* in the [Match] section.",
+            strv_isempty(link->match_name) && strv_isempty(link->match_property) && !link->conditions) {
+                log_warning("%s: No valid settings found in the [Match] section, ignoring file. "
+                            "To match all interfaces, add OriginalName=* in the [Match] section.",
                             filename);
+                return 0;
+        }
 
         if (!condition_test_list(link->conditions, NULL, NULL, NULL)) {
                 log_debug("%s: Conditions do not match the system environment, skipping.", filename);