diff --git a/man/systemd.service.xml b/man/systemd.service.xml
index c17ed4fcae..68663e9ed8 100644
--- a/man/systemd.service.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.service.xml
@@ -357,15 +357,17 @@
       <varlistentry>
         <term><varname>PIDFile=</varname></term>
 
-        <listitem><para>Takes a path referring to the PID file of the service. Usage of this option is recommended for
-        services where <varname>Type=</varname> is set to <option>forking</option>. The path specified typically points
-        to a file below <filename>/run/</filename>. If a relative path is specified it is hence prefixed with
-        <filename>/run/</filename>. The service manager will read the PID of the main process of the service from this
-        file after start-up of the service. The service manager will not write to the file configured here, although it
-        will remove the file after the service has shut down if it still exists. The PID file does not need to be owned
-        by a privileged user, but if it is owned by an unprivileged user additional safety restrictions are enforced:
-        the file may not be a symlink to a file owned by a different user (neither directly nor indirectly), and the
-        PID file must refer to a process already belonging to the service.</para>
+        <listitem><para>Takes a path referring to the PID file of the service. Usage of this option is
+        recommended for services where <varname>Type=</varname> is set to <option>forking</option>. The path
+        specified typically points to a file below <filename>/run/</filename>. If a relative path is
+        specified for system service, then it is hence prefixed with <filename>/run/</filename>, and prefixed
+        with <filename>$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR</filename> if specified in a user service. The service manager will
+        read the PID of the main process of the service from this file after start-up of the service. The
+        service manager will not write to the file configured here, although it will remove the file after
+        the service has shut down if it still exists. The PID file does not need to be owned by a privileged
+        user, but if it is owned by an unprivileged user additional safety restrictions are enforced: the
+        file may not be a symlink to a file owned by a different user (neither directly nor indirectly), and
+        the PID file must refer to a process already belonging to the service.</para>
 
         <para>Note that PID files should be avoided in modern projects. Use <option>Type=notify</option>,
         <option>Type=notify-reload</option> or <option>Type=simple</option> where possible, which does not
diff --git a/src/core/service.c b/src/core/service.c
index 5f03a462ec..aabaaedf5d 100644
--- a/src/core/service.c
+++ b/src/core/service.c
@@ -1204,11 +1204,13 @@ static int service_load_pid_file(Service *s, bool may_warn) {
                 if (fstat(fileno(f), &st) < 0)
                         return log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), errno, "Failed to fstat() PID file '%s': %m", s->pid_file);
 
-                if (st.st_uid != 0)
+                if (st.st_uid != getuid())
                         return log_unit_error_errno(UNIT(s), SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EPERM),
-                                                    "New main PID "PID_FMT" from PID file does not belong to service, and PID file is not owned by root. Refusing.", pidref.pid);
+                                                    "New main PID "PID_FMT" from PID file does not belong to service, and PID file is owned by "UID_FMT" (must be owned by "UID_FMT"). Refusing.",
+                                                    pidref.pid, st.st_uid, getuid());
 
-                log_unit_debug(UNIT(s), "New main PID "PID_FMT" does not belong to service, accepting anyway since PID file is owned by root.", pidref.pid);
+                log_unit_debug(UNIT(s), "New main PID "PID_FMT" does not belong to service, accepting anyway since PID file is owned by "UID_FMT".",
+                               pidref.pid, st.st_uid);
         }
 
         if (s->main_pid_known) {