diff --git a/src/core/cgroup.c b/src/core/cgroup.c
index 9248cb523b..6c6e4f5e7b 100644
--- a/src/core/cgroup.c
+++ b/src/core/cgroup.c
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ void cgroup_context_apply(CGroupContext *c, CGroupControllerMask mask, const cha
                 char buf[MAX(DECIMAL_STR_MAX(unsigned long), DECIMAL_STR_MAX(usec_t)) + 1];
 
                 sprintf(buf, "%lu\n",
-                        state == MANAGER_STARTING && c->startup_cpu_shares != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->startup_cpu_shares :
+                        IN_SET(state, MANAGER_STARTING, MANAGER_INITIALIZING) && c->startup_cpu_shares != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->startup_cpu_shares :
                         c->cpu_shares != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->cpu_shares : 1024);
                 r = cg_set_attribute("cpu", path, "cpu.shares", buf);
                 if (r < 0)
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ void cgroup_context_apply(CGroupContext *c, CGroupControllerMask mask, const cha
                 CGroupBlockIODeviceBandwidth *b;
 
                 if (!is_root) {
-                        sprintf(buf, "%lu\n", state == MANAGER_STARTING && c->startup_blockio_weight != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->startup_blockio_weight :
+                        sprintf(buf, "%lu\n", IN_SET(state, MANAGER_STARTING, MANAGER_INITIALIZING) && c->startup_blockio_weight != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->startup_blockio_weight :
                                 c->blockio_weight != (unsigned long) -1 ? c->blockio_weight : 1000);
                         r = cg_set_attribute("blkio", path, "blkio.weight", buf);
                         if (r < 0)
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 7639aeef19..9abdf475cf 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ static bool manager_get_show_status(Manager *m) {
         if (m->no_console_output)
                 return false;
 
-        if (!IN_SET(manager_state(m), MANAGER_STARTING, MANAGER_STOPPING))
+        if (!IN_SET(manager_state(m), MANAGER_INITIALIZING, MANAGER_STARTING, MANAGER_STOPPING))
                 return false;
 
         if (m->show_status > 0)
@@ -2928,8 +2928,14 @@ ManagerState manager_state(Manager *m) {
         assert(m);
 
         /* Did we ever finish booting? If not then we are still starting up */
-        if (!dual_timestamp_is_set(&m->finish_timestamp))
+        if (!dual_timestamp_is_set(&m->finish_timestamp)) {
+
+                u = manager_get_unit(m, SPECIAL_BASIC_TARGET);
+                if (!u || !UNIT_IS_ACTIVE_OR_RELOADING(unit_active_state(u)))
+                        return MANAGER_INITIALIZING;
+
                 return MANAGER_STARTING;
+        }
 
         /* Is the special shutdown target queued? If so, we are in shutdown state */
         u = manager_get_unit(m, SPECIAL_SHUTDOWN_TARGET);
@@ -2955,6 +2961,7 @@ ManagerState manager_state(Manager *m) {
 }
 
 static const char *const manager_state_table[_MANAGER_STATE_MAX] = {
+        [MANAGER_INITIALIZING] = "initializing",
         [MANAGER_STARTING] = "starting",
         [MANAGER_RUNNING] = "running",
         [MANAGER_DEGRADED] = "degraded",
diff --git a/src/core/manager.h b/src/core/manager.h
index 7d26c3adea..8e3c146b42 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.h
+++ b/src/core/manager.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 typedef struct Manager Manager;
 
 typedef enum ManagerState {
+        MANAGER_INITIALIZING,
         MANAGER_STARTING,
         MANAGER_RUNNING,
         MANAGER_DEGRADED,