diff --git a/userspace/marsadm b/userspace/marsadm
index 0fdc55fd..554cb8f7 100755
--- a/userspace/marsadm
+++ b/userspace/marsadm
@@ -477,6 +477,7 @@ sub systemd_activate {
     $op = "stop";
   }
   _systemd_op($op, $unit);
+  return 1;
 }
 
 sub systemd_trigger {
@@ -3118,6 +3119,9 @@ sub attach_res_phase0 {
   if ($detach) {
     my $device_in_use = get_link("$mars/resource-$res/actual-$host/open-count", 1);
     if ($device_in_use) {
+      if (systemd_activate($cmd, $res, 0)) {
+	return;
+      }
       my $name = get_link("$mars/resource-$res/device-$host");
       my $dev = "/dev/mars/$name";
       ldie "device '$dev' is in use\n";