diff --git a/src/service.c b/src/service.c
index 3e2a499ec8..ac83862db7 100644
--- a/src/service.c
+++ b/src/service.c
@@ -1708,7 +1708,7 @@ static int service_start(Unit *u) {
         /* Make sure we don't enter a busy loop of some kind. */
         if (!ratelimit_test(&s->ratelimit)) {
                 log_warning("%s start request repeated too quickly, refusing to start.", u->meta.id);
-                return -EAGAIN;
+                return -ECANCELED;
         }
 
         s->failure = false;
diff --git a/src/unit.c b/src/unit.c
index 8f0b0773f1..bcb95b2adc 100644
--- a/src/unit.c
+++ b/src/unit.c
@@ -735,9 +735,10 @@ fail:
 }
 
 /* Errors:
- *         -EBADR:    This unit type does not support starting.
- *         -EALREADY: Unit is already started.
- *         -EAGAIN:   An operation is already in progress. Retry later.
+ *         -EBADR:     This unit type does not support starting.
+ *         -EALREADY:  Unit is already started.
+ *         -EAGAIN:    An operation is already in progress. Retry later.
+ *         -ECANCELED: Too many requests for now.
  */
 int unit_start(Unit *u) {
         UnitActiveState state;