diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-conf.c b/src/resolve/resolved-conf.c
index 70a6f99450..d8ee945502 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-conf.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-conf.c
@@ -476,10 +476,9 @@ static void read_credentials(Manager *m) {
         if (!m->read_resolv_conf)
                 return;
 
-        r = read_credential_strings_many(
-                        "network.dns", &dns,
-                        "network.search_domains", &domains);
-        if (r < 0 && !IN_SET(r, -ENXIO, -ENOENT))
+        r = read_credential_strings_many("network.dns", &dns,
+                                         "network.search_domains", &domains);
+        if (r < 0)
                 log_warning_errno(r, "Failed to read credentials, ignoring: %m");
 
         if (dns) {
diff --git a/src/shared/creds-util.c b/src/shared/creds-util.c
index d570f49e7b..59f580775d 100644
--- a/src/shared/creds-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/creds-util.c
@@ -96,17 +96,21 @@ int read_credential_strings_many_internal(
 
         /* Reads a bunch of credentials into the specified buffers. If the specified buffers are already
          * non-NULL frees them if a credential is found. Only supports string-based credentials
-         * (i.e. refuses embedded NUL bytes) */
+         * (i.e. refuses embedded NUL bytes).
+         *
+         * 0 is returned when some or all credentials are missing.
+         */
 
         if (!first_name)
                 return 0;
 
         r = read_credential(first_name, &b, NULL);
-        if (r == -ENXIO) /* no creds passed at all? propagate this */
-                return r;
-        if (r < 0)
-                ret = r;
-        else
+        if (r == -ENXIO) /* No creds passed at all? Bail immediately. */
+                return 0;
+        if (r < 0) {
+                if (r != -ENOENT)
+                        ret = r;
+        } else
                 free_and_replace(*first_value, b);
 
         va_list ap;
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ int read_credential_strings_many_internal(
 
                 r = read_credential(name, &bb, NULL);
                 if (r < 0) {
-                        if (ret >= 0)
+                        if (ret >= 0 && r != -ENOENT)
                                 ret = r;
                 } else
                         free_and_replace(*value, bb);
diff --git a/src/test/test-creds.c b/src/test/test-creds.c
index 44022e7324..25b0c34a59 100644
--- a/src/test/test-creds.c
+++ b/src/test/test-creds.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ TEST(read_credential_strings) {
         if (e)
                 assert_se(saved = strdup(e));
 
-        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == -ENXIO);
+        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == 0);
         assert_se(x == NULL);
         assert_se(y == NULL);
 
@@ -24,20 +24,20 @@ TEST(read_credential_strings) {
 
         assert_se(setenv("CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY", tmp, /* override= */ true) >= 0);
 
-        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == -ENOENT);
+        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == 0);
         assert_se(x == NULL);
         assert_se(y == NULL);
 
         assert_se(p = path_join(tmp, "bar"));
         assert_se(write_string_file(p, "piff", WRITE_STRING_FILE_CREATE|WRITE_STRING_FILE_AVOID_NEWLINE) >= 0);
 
-        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == -ENOENT);
+        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == 0);
         assert_se(x == NULL);
         assert_se(streq(y, "piff"));
 
         assert_se(write_string_file(p, "paff", WRITE_STRING_FILE_TRUNCATE|WRITE_STRING_FILE_AVOID_NEWLINE) >= 0);
 
-        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == -ENOENT);
+        assert_se(read_credential_strings_many("foo", &x, "bar", &y) == 0);
         assert_se(x == NULL);
         assert_se(streq(y, "piff"));
 
diff --git a/src/vconsole/vconsole-setup.c b/src/vconsole/vconsole-setup.c
index a359f848cc..58fb5348f9 100644
--- a/src/vconsole/vconsole-setup.c
+++ b/src/vconsole/vconsole-setup.c
@@ -117,11 +117,8 @@ static int context_read_creds(Context *c) {
                         vc_meta_names[VC_FONT],          &v.config[VC_FONT],
                         vc_meta_names[VC_FONT_MAP],      &v.config[VC_FONT_MAP],
                         vc_meta_names[VC_FONT_UNIMAP],   &v.config[VC_FONT_UNIMAP]);
-        if (r < 0) {
-                if (r != -ENXIO)
-                        log_warning_errno(r, "Failed to import credentials, ignoring: %m");
-                return r;
-        }
+        if (r < 0)
+                log_warning_errno(r, "Failed to import credentials, ignoring: %m");
 
         context_merge_config(c, &v, NULL);
         return 0;