diff --git a/src/basic/unit-file.c b/src/basic/unit-file.c
index ff8aa02d10..fab63b6dce 100644
--- a/src/basic/unit-file.c
+++ b/src/basic/unit-file.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int unit_validate_alias_symlink_and_warn(const char *filename, const char *targe
         const char *src, *dst;
         _cleanup_free_ char *src_instance = NULL, *dst_instance = NULL;
         UnitType src_unit_type, dst_unit_type;
-        int src_name_type, dst_name_type;
+        UnitNameFlags src_name_type, dst_name_type;
 
         /* Check if the *alias* symlink is valid. This applies to symlinks like
          * /etc/systemd/system/dbus.service → dbus-broker.service, but not to .wants or .requires symlinks
diff --git a/src/basic/unit-name.c b/src/basic/unit-name.c
index 532f8fa048..dbc9f5baa2 100644
--- a/src/basic/unit-name.c
+++ b/src/basic/unit-name.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ int unit_name_to_prefix(const char *n, char **ret) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-int unit_name_to_instance(const char *n, char **ret) {
+UnitNameFlags unit_name_to_instance(const char *n, char **ret) {
         const char *p, *d;
 
         assert(n);
diff --git a/src/basic/unit-name.h b/src/basic/unit-name.h
index 19d70abea8..f6af01c9bd 100644
--- a/src/basic/unit-name.h
+++ b/src/basic/unit-name.h
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ bool unit_instance_is_valid(const char *i) _pure_;
 bool unit_suffix_is_valid(const char *s) _pure_;
 
 int unit_name_to_prefix(const char *n, char **ret);
-int unit_name_to_instance(const char *n, char **ret);
-static inline int unit_name_classify(const char *n) {
+UnitNameFlags unit_name_to_instance(const char *n, char **ret);
+static inline UnitNameFlags unit_name_classify(const char *n) {
         return unit_name_to_instance(n, NULL);
 }
 int unit_name_to_prefix_and_instance(const char *n, char **ret);
diff --git a/src/shared/install.c b/src/shared/install.c
index a8091cd071..3e9f6a3df3 100644
--- a/src/shared/install.c
+++ b/src/shared/install.c
@@ -1754,12 +1754,12 @@ int unit_file_verify_alias(const UnitFileInstallInfo *i, const char *dst, char *
                                                  "Invalid path \"%s\" in alias.", dir);
                 *p = '\0'; /* dir should now be a unit name */
 
-                r = unit_name_classify(dir);
-                if (r < 0)
+                UnitNameFlags type = unit_name_classify(dir);
+                if (type < 0)
                         return log_warning_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EXDEV),
                                                  "Invalid unit name component \"%s\" in alias.", dir);
 
-                const bool instance_propagation = r == UNIT_NAME_TEMPLATE;
+                const bool instance_propagation = type == UNIT_NAME_TEMPLATE;
 
                 /* That's the name we want to use for verification. */
                 r = unit_symlink_name_compatible(path_alias, i->name, instance_propagation);
@@ -1776,11 +1776,11 @@ int unit_file_verify_alias(const UnitFileInstallInfo *i, const char *dst, char *
                 if (unit_name_is_valid(dst, UNIT_NAME_TEMPLATE)) {
                         _cleanup_free_ char *inst = NULL;
 
-                        r = unit_name_to_instance(i->name, &inst);
-                        if (r < 0)
-                                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to extract instance name from %s: %m", i->name);
+                        UnitNameFlags type = unit_name_to_instance(i->name, &inst);
+                        if (type < 0)
+                                return log_error_errno(type, "Failed to extract instance name from %s: %m", i->name);
 
-                        if (r == UNIT_NAME_INSTANCE) {
+                        if (type == UNIT_NAME_INSTANCE) {
                                 r = unit_name_replace_instance(dst, inst, &dst_updated);
                                 if (r < 0)
                                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to build unit name from %s+%s: %m",
diff --git a/src/test/test-unit-name.c b/src/test/test-unit-name.c
index ece78aa548..dc4dc7529d 100644
--- a/src/test/test-unit-name.c
+++ b/src/test/test-unit-name.c
@@ -471,8 +471,8 @@ static void test_build_parent_slice(void) {
 }
 
 static void test_unit_name_to_instance(void) {
+        UnitNameFlags r;
         char *instance;
-        int r;
 
         log_info("/* %s */", __func__);