diff --git a/src/basic/main-func.h b/src/basic/main-func.h
index 9dfcea9296..6417cc822a 100644
--- a/src/basic/main-func.h
+++ b/src/basic/main-func.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+#include "pager.h"
 #include "static-destruct.h"
 
 #define _DEFINE_MAIN_FUNCTION(impl, ret)                                \
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
                 int r;                                                  \
                 r = impl(argc, argv);                                   \
                 static_destruct();                                      \
+                pager_close();                                          \
                 return ret;                                             \
         }
 
diff --git a/src/login/inhibit.c b/src/login/inhibit.c
index 5c0637c861..7a63eb6efc 100644
--- a/src/login/inhibit.c
+++ b/src/login/inhibit.c
@@ -282,12 +282,10 @@ static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to connect to bus: %m");
 
-        if (arg_action == ACTION_LIST) {
-                r = print_inhibitors(bus);
-                pager_close();
-                return r;
+        if (arg_action == ACTION_LIST)
+                return print_inhibitors(bus);
 
-        } else {
+        else {
                 _cleanup_(sd_bus_error_free) sd_bus_error error = SD_BUS_ERROR_NULL;
                 _cleanup_close_ int fd = -1;
                 _cleanup_free_ char *w = NULL;
diff --git a/src/sysctl/sysctl.c b/src/sysctl/sysctl.c
index f9d282d1cb..d04a2cff15 100644
--- a/src/sysctl/sysctl.c
+++ b/src/sysctl/sysctl.c
@@ -266,21 +266,19 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         _cleanup_(ordered_hashmap_free_free_freep) OrderedHashmap *sysctl_options = NULL;
-        int r = 0, k;
+        int r, k;
 
         r = parse_argv(argc, argv);
         if (r <= 0)
-                goto finish;
+                return r;
 
         log_setup_service();
 
         umask(0022);
 
         sysctl_options = ordered_hashmap_new(&path_hash_ops);
-        if (!sysctl_options) {
-                r = log_oom();
-                goto finish;
-        }
+        if (!sysctl_options)
+                return log_oom();
 
         r = 0;
 
@@ -297,16 +295,13 @@ static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 char **f;
 
                 r = conf_files_list_strv(&files, ".conf", NULL, 0, (const char**) CONF_PATHS_STRV("sysctl.d"));
-                if (r < 0) {
-                        log_error_errno(r, "Failed to enumerate sysctl.d files: %m");
-                        goto finish;
-                }
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to enumerate sysctl.d files: %m");
 
                 if (arg_cat_config) {
                         (void) pager_open(arg_pager_flags);
 
-                        r = cat_files(NULL, files, 0);
-                        goto finish;
+                        return cat_files(NULL, files, 0);
                 }
 
                 STRV_FOREACH(f, files) {
@@ -320,9 +315,6 @@ static int run(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         if (k < 0 && r == 0)
                 r = k;
 
-finish:
-        pager_close();
-
         return r;
 }