diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl-compat-halt.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl-compat-halt.c
index 0b05fe6702..c360a8d007 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl-compat-halt.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl-compat-halt.c
@@ -77,16 +77,11 @@ int halt_parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 {}
         };
 
-        int c, r, runlevel;
+        int c, r;
 
         assert(argc >= 0);
         assert(argv);
 
-        /* called in sysvinit system as last command in shutdown/reboot so this is always forceful */
-        if (utmp_get_runlevel(&runlevel, NULL) >= 0)
-                if (IN_SET(runlevel, '0', '6'))
-                        arg_force = 2;
-
         while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "pfwdnih", options, NULL)) >= 0)
                 switch (c) {