diff --git a/src/core/slice.c b/src/core/slice.c
index 38a2805200..f4f63fcb5b 100644
--- a/src/core/slice.c
+++ b/src/core/slice.c
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static int slice_freezer_action(Unit *s, FreezerAction action) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        return 0;
+        return 1;
 }
 
 static int slice_freeze(Unit *s) {
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-38.sh b/test/units/testsuite-38.sh
index 6fcadb8f8e..18b7bd6dce 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-38.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-38.sh
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ test_preserve_state() {
 
     echo -n "  - freeze from outside: "
     echo 1 > /sys/fs/cgroup/"${slice}"/cgroup.freeze
+    # Give kernel some time to freeze the slice
+    sleep 1
 
     # Our state should not be affected
     check_freezer_state "${slice}" "running"
@@ -258,6 +260,8 @@ test_preserve_state() {
 
     echo -n "  - thaw from outside: "
     echo 0 > /sys/fs/cgroup/"${slice}"/cgroup.freeze
+    sleep 1
+
     check_freezer_state "${unit}" "running"
     check_freezer_state "${slice}" "running"
     grep -q "frozen 0" /sys/fs/cgroup/"${slice}"/cgroup.events