diff --git a/src/core/scope.c b/src/core/scope.c
index def2039e1a..50dafacb42 100644
--- a/src/core/scope.c
+++ b/src/core/scope.c
@@ -236,15 +236,6 @@ static int scope_coldplug(Unit *u) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        if (!IN_SET(s->deserialized_state, SCOPE_DEAD, SCOPE_FAILED) && u->pids) {
-                PidRef *pid;
-                SET_FOREACH(pid, u->pids) {
-                        r = unit_watch_pidref(u, pid, /* exclusive= */ false);
-                        if (r < 0)
-                                return r;
-                }
-        }
-
         bus_scope_track_controller(s);
 
         scope_set_state(s, s->deserialized_state);
@@ -511,8 +502,7 @@ static int scope_serialize(Unit *u, FILE *f, FDSet *fds) {
         (void) serialize_item(f, "state", scope_state_to_string(s->state));
         (void) serialize_bool(f, "was-abandoned", s->was_abandoned);
 
-        if (s->controller)
-                (void) serialize_item(f, "controller", s->controller);
+        (void) serialize_item(f, "controller", s->controller);
 
         SET_FOREACH(pid, u->pids)
                 serialize_pidref(f, fds, "pids", pid);