diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/system/service.py b/lib/ansible/modules/system/service.py
index 172ebb7a914..97a190f29cd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/system/service.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/system/service.py
@@ -522,13 +522,12 @@ class LinuxService(Service):
     def get_systemd_status_dict(self):
 
         # Check status first as show will not fail if service does not exist
-        (rc, out, err) = self.execute_command("%s status '%s'" % (self.enable_cmd, self.__systemd_unit,))
-        if rc != 0:
-            self.module.fail_json(msg='failure %d running systemctl status for %r: %s' % (rc, self.__systemd_unit, err))
-
         (rc, out, err) = self.execute_command("%s show '%s'" % (self.enable_cmd, self.__systemd_unit,))
         if rc != 0:
             self.module.fail_json(msg='failure %d running systemctl show for %r: %s' % (rc, self.__systemd_unit, err))
+        elif 'LoadState=not-found' in out:
+            self.module.fail_json(msg='systemd could not find the requested service "%r": %s' % (self.__systemd_unit, err))
+
         key = None
         value_buffer = []
         status_dict = {}