This issue can be seen with any actual unit after e.g. enabling or disabling a non-existent unit. For example,
root@n:~# systemctl status ssh.socket
● ssh.socket - OpenBSD Secure Shell server socket
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/ssh.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (listening) since Wed 2024-07-31 19:51:18 UTC; 5min ago
Triggers: ● ssh.service
Listen: [::]:22 (Stream)
CGroup: /system.slice/ssh.socket
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/start/replace
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 734 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:55:53 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/start/replace
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 825 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:56:20 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
root@n:~# systemctl enable fdfldakfjdklfjdaljfa.service
Failed to enable unit: Unit file fdfldakfjdklfjdaljfa.service does not exist.
root@n:~# systemctl status ssh.socket
Warning: The unit file, source configuration file or drop-ins of ssh.socket changed on disk. Run 'systemctl daemon-reload' to reload units.
● ssh.socket - OpenBSD Secure Shell server socket
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/ssh.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (listening) since Wed 2024-07-31 19:51:18 UTC; 5min ago
Triggers: ● ssh.service
Listen: [::]:22 (Stream)
CGroup: /system.slice/ssh.socket
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/start/replace
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 734 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:55:53 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/start/replace
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 825 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:56:20 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
I have tested [1] in a PPA build, and the issue goes away.
It may have already been pointed out, but the reason this is seen with apt-news.service and esm-cache.service specifically is because of the hook defined in /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20apt-esm-hook.conf which starts these services. Besides that, there is nothing special about them which makes this bug appear.
This issue can be seen with any actual unit after e.g. enabling or disabling a non-existent unit. For example,
root@n:~# systemctl status ssh.socket systemd/ system/ ssh.socket; enabled; preset: enabled) slice/ssh. socket
● ssh.socket - OpenBSD Secure Shell server socket
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/
Active: active (listening) since Wed 2024-07-31 19:51:18 UTC; 5min ago
Triggers: ● ssh.service
Listen: [::]:22 (Stream)
CGroup: /system.
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/ start/replace start/replace
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 734 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:55:53 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 825 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:56:20 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
root@n:~# systemctl enable fdfldakfjdklfjd aljfa.service aljfa.service does not exist.
Failed to enable unit: Unit file fdfldakfjdklfjd
root@n:~# systemctl status ssh.socket systemd/ system/ ssh.socket; enabled; preset: enabled) slice/ssh. socket
Warning: The unit file, source configuration file or drop-ins of ssh.socket changed on disk. Run 'systemctl daemon-reload' to reload units.
● ssh.socket - OpenBSD Secure Shell server socket
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/
Active: active (listening) since Wed 2024-07-31 19:51:18 UTC; 5min ago
Triggers: ● ssh.service
Listen: [::]:22 (Stream)
CGroup: /system.
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/ start/replace start/replace
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 734
Jul 31 19:55:15 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 734 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:55:53 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Trying to enqueue job ssh.socket/
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Installed new job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Enqueued job ssh.socket/start as 825
Jul 31 19:56:05 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Job 825 ssh.socket/start finished, result=done
Jul 31 19:56:20 n systemd[1]: ssh.socket: Changed dead -> listening
I have tested [1] in a PPA build, and the issue goes away.
It may have already been pointed out, but the reason this is seen with apt-news.service and esm-cache.service specifically is because of the hook defined in /etc/apt/ apt.conf. d/20apt- esm-hook. conf which starts these services. Besides that, there is nothing special about them which makes this bug appear.
[1] https:/ /github. com/systemd/ systemd/ pull/32610/ commits/ d69cba3bfffc7b1 e3197e2a34b459d b13b1e1cb7