diff --git a/src/basic/process-util.c b/src/basic/process-util.c
index e38b67405e45f..54b644ad56b5e 100644
--- a/src/basic/process-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/process-util.c
@@ -625,8 +625,10 @@ int kill_and_sigcont(pid_t pid, int sig) {
 
         r = kill(pid, sig) < 0 ? -errno : 0;
 
-        if (r >= 0)
-                kill(pid, SIGCONT);
+        /* If this worked, also send SIGCONT, unless we already just sent a SIGCONT, or SIGKILL was sent which isn't
+         * affected by a process being suspended anyway. */
+        if (r >= 0 && !IN_SET(SIGCONT, SIGKILL))
+                (void) kill(pid, SIGCONT);
 
         return r;
 }