diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
index 4e744e33f..f1b9f02e4 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/server.c
@@ -580,21 +580,26 @@ static bool is_stale_socket(int fd, const struct sockaddr_un *addr_un)
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD
 static int check_systemd_activation(const char *path)
 {
-	const int n = sd_listen_fds(0);
+	const int n = sd_listen_fds(false);
+	if (n < 0)
+		return n;
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		const int fd = SD_LISTEN_FDS_START + i;
 
-		if (sd_is_socket_unix(fd, SOCK_STREAM, 1, path, 0) > 0)
+		int res = sd_is_socket_unix(fd, SOCK_STREAM, true, path, 0);
+		pw_log_debug("sd_is_socket_unix(%d, \"%s\"): %d", fd, path, res);
+
+		if (res > 0)
 			return fd;
 	}
 
-	return -1;
+	return -ENOENT;
 }
 #else
 static inline int check_systemd_activation(SPA_UNUSED const char *path)
 {
-	return -1;
+	return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -614,6 +619,8 @@ static int start_unix_server(struct server *server, const struct sockaddr_storag
 		goto done;
 	}
 	else {
+		pw_log_debug("server %p: no systemd socket activation socket found for '%s': %s",
+			     server, addr_un->sun_path, spa_strerror(fd));
 		server->activated = false;
 	}