diff --git a/man/systemd.network.xml b/man/systemd.network.xml
index 76f9f4d042c..35c897af398 100644
--- a/man/systemd.network.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.network.xml
@@ -259,8 +259,9 @@
       <varlistentry>
         <term><varname>RequiredForOnline=</varname></term>
         <listitem>
-          <para>Takes a boolean or a minimum operational state and an optional maximum operational
-          state. Please see
+          <para>Takes a boolean, a minimum operational state (e.g., <literal>carrier</literal>), or a range
+          of operational state separated with a colon (e.g., <literal>degraded:routable</literal>).
+          Please see
           <citerefentry><refentrytitle>networkctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>
           for possible operational states. When <literal>yes</literal>, the network is deemed required
           when determining whether the system is online (including when running
@@ -270,6 +271,12 @@
           minimum and maximum operational state required for the network interface to be considered
           online.</para>
 
+          <para>When <literal>yes</literal> is specified for a CAN device,
+          <command>systemd-networkd-wait-online</command> deems that the interface is online when its
+          operational state becomes <literal>carrier</literal>. For an interface with other type, e.g.
+          <literal>ether</literal>, the interface is deened online when its online state is
+          <literal>degraded</literal> or <literal>routable</literal>.</para>
+
           <para>Defaults to <literal>yes</literal> when <varname>ActivationPolicy=</varname> is not
           set, or set to <literal>up</literal>, <literal>always-up</literal>, or
           <literal>bound</literal>. Defaults to <literal>no</literal> when
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link.c b/src/network/networkd-link.c
index d553a716fa4..57ea9ecb75d 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link.c
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ void link_required_operstate_for_online(Link *link, LinkOperationalStateRange *r
 
         if (link->network && operational_state_range_is_valid(&link->network->required_operstate_for_online))
                 *ret = link->network->required_operstate_for_online;
+        else if (link->iftype == ARPHRD_CAN)
+                *ret = (const LinkOperationalStateRange) {
+                        .min = LINK_OPERSTATE_CARRIER,
+                        .max = LINK_OPERSTATE_CARRIER,
+                };
         else
                 *ret = LINK_OPERSTATE_RANGE_DEFAULT;
 }
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-network.c b/src/network/networkd-network.c
index 845a8130bde..08c7da56997 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-network.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-network.c
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ int network_load_one(Manager *manager, OrderedHashmap **networks, const char *fi
                 .n_ref = 1,
 
                 .required_for_online = -1,
-                .required_operstate_for_online = LINK_OPERSTATE_RANGE_DEFAULT,
+                .required_operstate_for_online = LINK_OPERSTATE_RANGE_INVALID,
                 .activation_policy = _ACTIVATION_POLICY_INVALID,
                 .group = -1,
                 .arp = -1,
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ int config_parse_required_for_online(
 
         if (isempty(rvalue)) {
                 network->required_for_online = -1;
-                network->required_operstate_for_online = LINK_OPERSTATE_RANGE_DEFAULT;
+                network->required_operstate_for_online = LINK_OPERSTATE_RANGE_INVALID;
                 return 0;
         }