diff --git a/src/basic/cgroup-util.c b/src/basic/cgroup-util.c
index 5473fec0dd..1ef1de0604 100644
--- a/src/basic/cgroup-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/cgroup-util.c
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ int cg_set_task_access(
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(controller);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return unified;
         if (unified)
@@ -893,18 +893,17 @@ int cg_pid_get_path(const char *controller, pid_t pid, char **path) {
         assert(path);
         assert(pid >= 0);
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        if (controller) {
+                if (!cg_controller_is_valid(controller))
+                        return -EINVAL;
+        } else
+                controller = SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER;
+
+        unified = cg_unified(controller);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return unified;
-        if (unified == 0) {
-                if (controller) {
-                        if (!cg_controller_is_valid(controller))
-                                return -EINVAL;
-                } else
-                        controller = SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER;
-
+        if (unified == 0)
                 cs = strlen(controller);
-        }
 
         fs = procfs_file_alloca(pid, "cgroup");
         f = fopen(fs, "re");
@@ -969,7 +968,7 @@ int cg_install_release_agent(const char *controller, const char *agent) {
 
         assert(agent);
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(controller);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return unified;
         if (unified) /* doesn't apply to unified hierarchy */
@@ -1020,7 +1019,7 @@ int cg_uninstall_release_agent(const char *controller) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *fs = NULL;
         int r, unified;
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(controller);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return unified;
         if (unified) /* Doesn't apply to unified hierarchy */
@@ -1076,7 +1075,7 @@ int cg_is_empty_recursive(const char *controller, const char *path) {
         if (controller && (isempty(path) || path_equal(path, "/")))
                 return false;
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(controller);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return unified;
 
@@ -2224,9 +2223,10 @@ int cg_kernel_controllers(Set *controllers) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-static thread_local int unified_cache = -1;
+static thread_local CGroupUnified unified_cache = CGROUP_UNIFIED_UNKNOWN;
+
+static int cg_update_unified(void) {
 
-int cg_all_unified(void) {
         struct statfs fs;
 
         /* Checks if we support the unified hierarchy. Returns an
@@ -2234,24 +2234,47 @@ int cg_all_unified(void) {
          * have any other trouble determining if the unified hierarchy
          * is supported. */
 
-        if (unified_cache >= 0)
-                return unified_cache;
+        if (unified_cache >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE)
+                return 0;
 
         if (statfs("/sys/fs/cgroup/", &fs) < 0)
                 return -errno;
 
         if (F_TYPE_EQUAL(fs.f_type, CGROUP2_SUPER_MAGIC))
-                unified_cache = true;
-        else if (F_TYPE_EQUAL(fs.f_type, TMPFS_MAGIC))
-                unified_cache = false;
-        else
+                unified_cache = CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL;
+        else if (F_TYPE_EQUAL(fs.f_type, TMPFS_MAGIC)) {
+                if (statfs("/sys/fs/cgroup/systemd/", &fs) < 0)
+                        return -errno;
+
+                unified_cache = F_TYPE_EQUAL(fs.f_type, CGROUP2_SUPER_MAGIC) ?
+                        CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD : CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE;
+        } else
                 return -ENOMEDIUM;
 
-        return unified_cache;
+        return 0;
+}
+
+int cg_unified(const char *controller) {
+
+        int r;
+
+        r = cg_update_unified();
+        if (r < 0)
+                return r;
+
+        if (streq_ptr(controller, SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER))
+                return unified_cache >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD;
+        else
+                return unified_cache >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL;
+}
+
+int cg_all_unified(void) {
+
+        return cg_unified(NULL);
 }
 
 void cg_unified_flush(void) {
-        unified_cache = -1;
+        unified_cache = CGROUP_UNIFIED_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
 int cg_enable_everywhere(CGroupMask supported, CGroupMask mask, const char *p) {
@@ -2333,6 +2356,50 @@ bool cg_is_legacy_wanted(void) {
         return !cg_is_unified_wanted();
 }
 
+bool cg_is_unified_systemd_controller_wanted(void) {
+        static thread_local int wanted = -1;
+        int r, unified;
+
+        /* If the unified hierarchy is requested in full, no need to
+         * bother with this. */
+        if (cg_is_unified_wanted())
+                return 0;
+
+        /* If the hierarchy is already mounted, then follow whatever
+         * was chosen for it. */
+        unified = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
+        if (unified >= 0)
+                return unified;
+
+        /* Otherwise, let's see what the kernel command line has to
+         * say. Since checking that is expensive, let's cache the
+         * result. */
+        if (wanted >= 0)
+                return wanted;
+
+        r = get_proc_cmdline_key("systemd.legacy_systemd_cgroup_controller", NULL);
+        if (r > 0) {
+                wanted = false;
+        } else {
+                _cleanup_free_ char *value = NULL;
+
+                r = get_proc_cmdline_key("systemd.legacy_systemd_cgroup_controller=", &value);
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return true;
+
+                if (r == 0)
+                        wanted = true;
+                else
+                        wanted = parse_boolean(value) <= 0;
+        }
+
+        return wanted;
+}
+
+bool cg_is_legacy_systemd_controller_wanted(void) {
+        return cg_is_legacy_wanted() && !cg_is_unified_systemd_controller_wanted();
+}
+
 int cg_weight_parse(const char *s, uint64_t *ret) {
         uint64_t u;
         int r;
diff --git a/src/basic/cgroup-util.h b/src/basic/cgroup-util.h
index 5fa856affc..5d9bee50f5 100644
--- a/src/basic/cgroup-util.h
+++ b/src/basic/cgroup-util.h
@@ -112,6 +112,13 @@ static inline bool CGROUP_BLKIO_WEIGHT_IS_OK(uint64_t x) {
             (x >= CGROUP_BLKIO_WEIGHT_MIN && x <= CGROUP_BLKIO_WEIGHT_MAX);
 }
 
+typedef enum CGroupUnified {
+        CGROUP_UNIFIED_UNKNOWN = -1,
+        CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE = 0,        /* Both systemd and controllers on legacy */
+        CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD = 1,     /* Only systemd on unified */
+        CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL = 2,         /* Both systemd and controllers on unified */
+} CGroupUnified;
+
 /*
  * General rules:
  *
@@ -226,10 +233,13 @@ int cg_kernel_controllers(Set *controllers);
 bool cg_ns_supported(void);
 
 int cg_all_unified(void);
+int cg_unified(const char *controller);
 void cg_unified_flush(void);
 
 bool cg_is_unified_wanted(void);
 bool cg_is_legacy_wanted(void);
+bool cg_is_unified_systemd_controller_wanted(void);
+bool cg_is_legacy_systemd_controller_wanted(void);
 
 const char* cgroup_controller_to_string(CGroupController c) _const_;
 CGroupController cgroup_controller_from_string(const char *s) _pure_;
diff --git a/src/core/cgroup.c b/src/core/cgroup.c
index 7c6fc01c0e..4b73a9ac13 100644
--- a/src/core/cgroup.c
+++ b/src/core/cgroup.c
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ int unit_watch_cgroup(Unit *u) {
                 return 0;
 
         /* Only applies to the unified hierarchy */
-        r = cg_all_unified();
+        r = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_unit_error_errno(u, r, "Failed detect whether the unified hierarchy is used: %m");
         if (r == 0)
@@ -1645,7 +1645,7 @@ int unit_watch_all_pids(Unit *u) {
         if (!u->cgroup_path)
                 return -ENOENT;
 
-        if (cg_all_unified() > 0) /* On unified we can use proper notifications */
+        if (cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER) > 0) /* On unified we can use proper notifications */
                 return 0;
 
         return unit_watch_pids_in_path(u, u->cgroup_path);
@@ -1718,7 +1718,7 @@ static int on_cgroup_inotify_event(sd_event_source *s, int fd, uint32_t revents,
 int manager_setup_cgroup(Manager *m) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *path = NULL;
         CGroupController c;
-        int r, unified;
+        int r, all_unified, systemd_unified;
         char *e;
 
         assert(m);
@@ -1755,11 +1755,17 @@ int manager_setup_cgroup(Manager *m) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Cannot find cgroup mount point: %m");
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
-        if (unified < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Couldn't determine if we are running in the unified hierarchy: %m");
-        if (unified > 0)
+        all_unified = cg_all_unified();
+        systemd_unified = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
+
+        if (all_unified < 0 || systemd_unified < 0)
+                return log_error_errno(all_unified < 0 ? all_unified : systemd_unified,
+                                       "Couldn't determine if we are running in the unified hierarchy: %m");
+
+        if (all_unified > 0)
                 log_debug("Unified cgroup hierarchy is located at %s.", path);
+        else if (systemd_unified > 0)
+                log_debug("Unified cgroup hierarchy is located at %s. Controllers are on legacy hierarchies.", path);
         else
                 log_debug("Using cgroup controller " SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER ". File system hierarchy is at %s.", path);
 
@@ -1767,7 +1773,7 @@ int manager_setup_cgroup(Manager *m) {
                 const char *scope_path;
 
                 /* 3. Install agent */
-                if (unified) {
+                if (systemd_unified) {
 
                         /* In the unified hierarchy we can get
                          * cgroup empty notifications via inotify. */
@@ -1827,7 +1833,7 @@ int manager_setup_cgroup(Manager *m) {
                         return log_error_errno(errno, "Failed to open pin file: %m");
 
                 /* 6.  Always enable hierarchical support if it exists... */
-                if (!unified)
+                if (!all_unified)
                         (void) cg_set_attribute("memory", "/", "memory.use_hierarchy", "1");
         }
 
diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index 108591c464..5c58e64a1b 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ static int manager_setup_cgroups_agent(Manager *m) {
         if (!MANAGER_IS_SYSTEM(m))
                 return 0;
 
-        if (cg_all_unified() > 0) /* We don't need this anymore on the unified hierarchy */
+        if (cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER) > 0) /* We don't need this anymore on the unified hierarchy */
                 return 0;
 
         if (m->cgroups_agent_fd < 0) {
diff --git a/src/core/mount-setup.c b/src/core/mount-setup.c
index 5d8ab0ec70..ca63a93e8b 100644
--- a/src/core/mount-setup.c
+++ b/src/core/mount-setup.c
@@ -99,10 +99,12 @@ static const MountPoint mount_table[] = {
           cg_is_unified_wanted, MNT_FATAL|MNT_IN_CONTAINER },
         { "tmpfs",       "/sys/fs/cgroup",            "tmpfs",      "mode=755",                MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV|MS_STRICTATIME,
           cg_is_legacy_wanted, MNT_FATAL|MNT_IN_CONTAINER },
+        { "cgroup",      "/sys/fs/cgroup/systemd",    "cgroup2",    NULL,                      MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV,
+          cg_is_unified_systemd_controller_wanted, MNT_IN_CONTAINER },
         { "cgroup",      "/sys/fs/cgroup/systemd",    "cgroup",     "none,name=systemd,xattr", MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV,
-          cg_is_legacy_wanted, MNT_IN_CONTAINER           },
+          cg_is_legacy_systemd_controller_wanted, MNT_IN_CONTAINER           },
         { "cgroup",      "/sys/fs/cgroup/systemd",    "cgroup",     "none,name=systemd",       MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV,
-          cg_is_legacy_wanted, MNT_FATAL|MNT_IN_CONTAINER },
+          cg_is_legacy_systemd_controller_wanted, MNT_FATAL|MNT_IN_CONTAINER },
         { "pstore",      "/sys/fs/pstore",            "pstore",     NULL,                      MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV,
           NULL,          MNT_NONE                   },
 #ifdef ENABLE_EFI
diff --git a/src/core/scope.c b/src/core/scope.c
index 7c72bb7091..65fa65493b 100644
--- a/src/core/scope.c
+++ b/src/core/scope.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static void scope_sigchld_event(Unit *u, pid_t pid, int code, int status) {
 
         /* If the PID set is empty now, then let's finish this off
            (On unified we use proper notifications) */
-        if (cg_all_unified() <= 0 && set_isempty(u->pids))
+        if (cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER) <= 0 && set_isempty(u->pids))
                 scope_notify_cgroup_empty_event(u);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/service.c b/src/core/service.c
index 29e53867bf..ef5f506fa1 100644
--- a/src/core/service.c
+++ b/src/core/service.c
@@ -2866,7 +2866,7 @@ static void service_sigchld_event(Unit *u, pid_t pid, int code, int status) {
 
         /* If the PID set is empty now, then let's finish this off
            (On unified we use proper notifications) */
-        if (cg_all_unified() <= 0 && set_isempty(u->pids))
+        if (cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER) <= 0 && set_isempty(u->pids))
                 service_notify_cgroup_empty_event(u);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/unit.c b/src/core/unit.c
index b24c32569c..d690cf89de 100644
--- a/src/core/unit.c
+++ b/src/core/unit.c
@@ -3695,7 +3695,7 @@ int unit_kill_context(
                          * there we get proper events. Hence rely on
                          * them.*/
 
-                        if  (cg_all_unified() > 0 ||
+                        if  (cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER) > 0 ||
                              (detect_container() == 0 && !unit_cgroup_delegate(u)))
                                 wait_for_exit = true;
 
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.c
index ea3cab513c..aa0da04955 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include <sys/mount.h>
 
 #include "alloc-util.h"
-#include "cgroup-util.h"
 #include "fd-util.h"
 #include "fileio.h"
 #include "mkdir.h"
@@ -63,18 +62,18 @@ int chown_cgroup(pid_t pid, uid_t uid_shift) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-int sync_cgroup(pid_t pid, bool unified_requested) {
+int sync_cgroup(pid_t pid, CGroupUnified unified_requested) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *cgroup = NULL;
         char tree[] = "/tmp/unifiedXXXXXX", pid_string[DECIMAL_STR_MAX(pid) + 1];
         bool undo_mount = false;
         const char *fn;
         int unified, r;
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(unified, "Failed to determine whether the unified hierarchy is used: %m");
 
-        if ((unified > 0) == unified_requested)
+        if ((unified > 0) == (unified_requested >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD))
                 return 0;
 
         /* When the host uses the legacy cgroup setup, but the
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ finish:
         return r;
 }
 
-int create_subcgroup(pid_t pid, bool unified_requested) {
+int create_subcgroup(pid_t pid, CGroupUnified unified_requested) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *cgroup = NULL;
         const char *child;
         int unified, r;
@@ -129,10 +128,10 @@ int create_subcgroup(pid_t pid, bool unified_requested) {
          * did not create a scope unit for the container move us and
          * the container into two separate subcgroups. */
 
-        if (!unified_requested)
+        if (unified_requested == CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE)
                 return 0;
 
-        unified = cg_all_unified();
+        unified = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
         if (unified < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(unified, "Failed to determine whether the unified hierarchy is used: %m");
         if (unified == 0)
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.h b/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.h
index 1ff35a299a..dc33da8abe 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.h
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-cgroup.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
+#include "cgroup-util.h"
+
 int chown_cgroup(pid_t pid, uid_t uid_shift);
-int sync_cgroup(pid_t pid, bool unified_requested);
-int create_subcgroup(pid_t pid, bool unified_requested);
+int sync_cgroup(pid_t pid, CGroupUnified unified_requested);
+int create_subcgroup(pid_t pid, CGroupUnified unified_requested);
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.c
index b5d83d481a..295b75341f 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include <linux/magic.h>
 
 #include "alloc-util.h"
-#include "cgroup-util.h"
 #include "escape.h"
 #include "fd-util.h"
 #include "fileio.h"
@@ -661,7 +660,8 @@ static int get_controllers(Set *subsystems) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-static int mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(const char *dest, const char *controller, const char *hierarchy, bool read_only) {
+static int mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(const char *dest, const char *controller, const char *hierarchy,
+                                         CGroupUnified unified_requested, bool read_only) {
         char *to;
         int r;
 
@@ -677,7 +677,15 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(const char *dest, const char *controlle
 
         /* The superblock mount options of the mount point need to be
          * identical to the hosts', and hence writable... */
-        if (mount("cgroup", to, "cgroup", MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV, controller) < 0)
+        if (streq(controller, SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER)) {
+                if (unified_requested >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD)
+                        r = mount("cgroup", to, "cgroup2", MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV, NULL);
+                else
+                        r = mount("cgroup", to, "cgroup", MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV, "none,name=systemd,xattr");
+        } else
+                r = mount("cgroup", to, "cgroup", MS_NOSUID|MS_NOEXEC|MS_NODEV, controller);
+
+        if (r < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(errno, "Failed to mount to %s: %m", to);
 
         /* ... hence let's only make the bind mount read-only, not the
@@ -691,8 +699,8 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(const char *dest, const char *controlle
 
 /* Mount a legacy cgroup hierarchy when cgroup namespaces are supported. */
 static int mount_legacy_cgns_supported(
-                bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range,
-                const char *selinux_apifs_context) {
+                CGroupUnified unified_requested, bool userns, uid_t uid_shift,
+                uid_t uid_range, const char *selinux_apifs_context) {
         _cleanup_set_free_free_ Set *controllers = NULL;
         const char *cgroup_root = "/sys/fs/cgroup", *c;
         int r;
@@ -739,7 +747,7 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgns_supported(
                 if (!controller)
                         break;
 
-                r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy("", controller, controller, !userns);
+                r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy("", controller, controller, unified_requested, !userns);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;
 
@@ -773,7 +781,7 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgns_supported(
         }
 
 skip_controllers:
-        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy("", "none,name=systemd,xattr", "systemd", false);
+        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy("", SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER, "systemd", unified_requested, false);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
@@ -788,7 +796,7 @@ skip_controllers:
 /* Mount legacy cgroup hierarchy when cgroup namespaces are unsupported. */
 static int mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(
                 const char *dest,
-                bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range,
+                CGroupUnified unified_requested, bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range,
                 const char *selinux_apifs_context) {
         _cleanup_set_free_free_ Set *controllers = NULL;
         const char *cgroup_root;
@@ -839,7 +847,7 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(
                 if (r == -EINVAL) {
                         /* Not a symbolic link, but directly a single cgroup hierarchy */
 
-                        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, controller, controller, true);
+                        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, controller, controller, unified_requested, true);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return r;
 
@@ -859,7 +867,7 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(
                                 continue;
                         }
 
-                        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, combined, combined, true);
+                        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, combined, combined, unified_requested, true);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return r;
 
@@ -872,7 +880,7 @@ static int mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(
         }
 
 skip_controllers:
-        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, "none,name=systemd,xattr", "systemd", false);
+        r = mount_legacy_cgroup_hierarchy(dest, SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER, "systemd", unified_requested, false);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
@@ -914,22 +922,22 @@ static int mount_unified_cgroups(const char *dest) {
 
 int mount_cgroups(
                 const char *dest,
-                bool unified_requested,
+                CGroupUnified unified_requested,
                 bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range,
                 const char *selinux_apifs_context,
                 bool use_cgns) {
 
-        if (unified_requested)
+        if (unified_requested >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL)
                 return mount_unified_cgroups(dest);
         else if (use_cgns && cg_ns_supported())
-                return mount_legacy_cgns_supported(userns, uid_shift, uid_range, selinux_apifs_context);
+                return mount_legacy_cgns_supported(unified_requested, userns, uid_shift, uid_range, selinux_apifs_context);
 
-        return mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(dest, userns, uid_shift, uid_range, selinux_apifs_context);
+        return mount_legacy_cgns_unsupported(dest, unified_requested, userns, uid_shift, uid_range, selinux_apifs_context);
 }
 
 int mount_systemd_cgroup_writable(
                 const char *dest,
-                bool unified_requested) {
+                CGroupUnified unified_requested) {
 
         _cleanup_free_ char *own_cgroup_path = NULL;
         const char *systemd_root, *systemd_own;
@@ -945,7 +953,7 @@ int mount_systemd_cgroup_writable(
         if (path_equal(own_cgroup_path, "/"))
                 return 0;
 
-        if (unified_requested) {
+        if (unified_requested >= CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL) {
                 systemd_own = strjoina(dest, "/sys/fs/cgroup", own_cgroup_path);
                 systemd_root = prefix_roota(dest, "/sys/fs/cgroup");
         } else {
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.h b/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.h
index 0eff8e1006..7307a838a5 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.h
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-mount.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
+#include "cgroup-util.h"
+
 typedef enum VolatileMode {
         VOLATILE_NO,
         VOLATILE_YES,
@@ -58,8 +60,8 @@ int custom_mount_compare(const void *a, const void *b);
 int mount_all(const char *dest, bool use_userns, bool in_userns, bool use_netns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range, const char *selinux_apifs_context);
 int mount_sysfs(const char *dest);
 
-int mount_cgroups(const char *dest, bool unified_requested, bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range, const char *selinux_apifs_context, bool use_cgns);
-int mount_systemd_cgroup_writable(const char *dest, bool unified_requested);
+int mount_cgroups(const char *dest, CGroupUnified unified_requested, bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range, const char *selinux_apifs_context, bool use_cgns);
+int mount_systemd_cgroup_writable(const char *dest, CGroupUnified unified_requested);
 
 int mount_custom(const char *dest, CustomMount *mounts, unsigned n, bool userns, uid_t uid_shift, uid_t uid_range, const char *selinux_apifs_context);
 
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
index 429b6ddc4f..24d243109a 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ static UserNamespaceMode arg_userns_mode = USER_NAMESPACE_NO;
 static uid_t arg_uid_shift = UID_INVALID, arg_uid_range = 0x10000U;
 static bool arg_userns_chown = false;
 static int arg_kill_signal = 0;
-static bool arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = false;
+static CGroupUnified arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_UNKNOWN;
 static SettingsMask arg_settings_mask = 0;
 static int arg_settings_trusted = -1;
 static char **arg_parameters = NULL;
@@ -318,7 +318,14 @@ static int custom_mounts_prepare(void) {
 
 static int detect_unified_cgroup_hierarchy(void) {
         const char *e;
-        int r;
+        int r, all_unified, systemd_unified;
+
+        all_unified = cg_all_unified();
+        systemd_unified = cg_unified(SYSTEMD_CGROUP_CONTROLLER);
+
+        if (all_unified < 0 || systemd_unified < 0)
+                return log_error_errno(all_unified < 0 ? all_unified : systemd_unified,
+                                       "Failed to determine whether the unified cgroups hierarchy is used: %m");
 
         /* Allow the user to control whether the unified hierarchy is used */
         e = getenv("UNIFIED_CGROUP_HIERARCHY");
@@ -326,17 +333,22 @@ static int detect_unified_cgroup_hierarchy(void) {
                 r = parse_boolean(e);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to parse $UNIFIED_CGROUP_HIERARCHY.");
+                if (r > 0)
+                        arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL;
+                else
+                        arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE;
 
-                arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = r;
                 return 0;
         }
 
         /* Otherwise inherit the default from the host system */
-        r = cg_all_unified();
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to determine whether the unified cgroups hierarchy is used: %m");
+        if (all_unified > 0)
+                arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_ALL;
+        else if (systemd_unified > 0)
+                arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_SYSTEMD;
+        else
+                arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = CGROUP_UNIFIED_NONE;
 
-        arg_unified_cgroup_hierarchy = r;
         return 0;
 }