diff --git a/src/basic/log.c b/src/basic/log.c
index 2b15ecba84..12ee65a5c3 100644
--- a/src/basic/log.c
+++ b/src/basic/log.c
@@ -83,35 +83,34 @@ static bool prohibit_ipc = false;
  * use here. */
 static char *log_abort_msg = NULL;
 
-void log_close_console(void) {
+static void log_close_console(void) {
 
         if (console_fd < 0)
                 return;
 
-        if (getpid_cached() == 1) {
-                if (console_fd >= 3)
-                        safe_close(console_fd);
+        if (console_fd >= 3)
+                safe_close(console_fd);
 
-                console_fd = -1;
-        }
+        console_fd = -1;
 }
 
 static int log_open_console(void) {
 
-        if (console_fd >= 0)
+        if (!always_reopen_console) {
+                console_fd = STDERR_FILENO;
                 return 0;
+        }
 
-        if (always_reopen_console) {
+        if (console_fd < 3) {
                 console_fd = open_terminal("/dev/console", O_WRONLY|O_NOCTTY|O_CLOEXEC);
                 if (console_fd < 0)
                         return console_fd;
-        } else
-                console_fd = STDERR_FILENO;
+        }
 
         return 0;
 }
 
-void log_close_kmsg(void) {
+static void log_close_kmsg(void) {
         kmsg_fd = safe_close(kmsg_fd);
 }
 
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ static int log_open_kmsg(void) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-void log_close_syslog(void) {
+static void log_close_syslog(void) {
         syslog_fd = safe_close(syslog_fd);
 }
 
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ fail:
         return r;
 }
 
-void log_close_journal(void) {
+static void log_close_journal(void) {
         journal_fd = safe_close(journal_fd);
 }
 
@@ -241,7 +240,8 @@ int log_open(void) {
         /* If we don't use the console we close it here, to not get
          * killed by SAK. If we don't use syslog we close it here so
          * that we are not confused by somebody deleting the socket in
-         * the fs. If we don't use /dev/kmsg we still keep it open,
+         * the fs, and to make sure we don't use it if prohibit_ipc is
+         * set. If we don't use /dev/kmsg we still keep it open,
          * because there is no reason to close it. */
 
         if (log_target == LOG_TARGET_NULL) {
diff --git a/src/basic/log.h b/src/basic/log.h
index f2c6cd8c0a..5b5a25bd6d 100644
--- a/src/basic/log.h
+++ b/src/basic/log.h
@@ -94,11 +94,6 @@ int log_open(void);
 void log_close(void);
 void log_forget_fds(void);
 
-void log_close_syslog(void);
-void log_close_journal(void);
-void log_close_kmsg(void);
-void log_close_console(void);
-
 void log_parse_environment_realm(LogRealm realm);
 #define log_parse_environment() \
         log_parse_environment_realm(LOG_REALM)
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 245b4c076c..56200a8fad 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -2392,7 +2392,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 /* Running inside a container, as PID 1 */
                 arg_system = true;
                 log_set_target(LOG_TARGET_CONSOLE);
-                log_close_console(); /* force reopen of /dev/console */
                 log_open();
 
                 /* For later on, see above... */
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 4a78bfb09f..e837a46f56 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -3543,15 +3543,13 @@ void manager_recheck_journal(Manager *m) {
 
                 /* The journal is fully and entirely up? If so, let's permit logging to it, if that's configured. */
                 log_set_prohibit_ipc(false);
-                log_open();
         } else {
 
                 /* If the journal is down, don't ever log to it, otherwise we might end up deadlocking ourselves as we
                  * might trigger an activation ourselves we can't fulfill */
                 log_set_prohibit_ipc(true);
-                log_close_journal();
-                log_open();
         }
+        log_open();
 }
 
 void manager_set_show_status(Manager *m, ShowStatus mode) {
diff --git a/src/core/shutdown.c b/src/core/shutdown.c
index fb882db99b..167c6a9c5d 100644
--- a/src/core/shutdown.c
+++ b/src/core/shutdown.c
@@ -284,7 +284,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         /* journald will die if not gone yet. The log target defaults
          * to console, but may have been changed by command line options. */
 
-        log_close_console(); /* force reopen of /dev/console */
         log_open();
 
         umask(0022);