diff --git a/src/core/unit.c b/src/core/unit.c
index 1eb4de6462..7d9e24c5de 100644
--- a/src/core/unit.c
+++ b/src/core/unit.c
@@ -1422,6 +1422,9 @@ int unit_load_fragment_and_dropin(Unit *u, bool fragment_required) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        if (u->load_state == UNIT_MASKED)
+                return 0;
+
         if (u->load_state == UNIT_STUB) {
                 if (fragment_required)
                         return -ENOENT;