diff --git a/src/core/manager.c b/src/core/manager.c
index f8d097e36..1ee6a8ed5 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.c
+++ b/src/core/manager.c
@@ -441,10 +441,12 @@ int manager_new(SystemdRunningAs running_as, Manager **_m) {
                 return -ENOMEM;
 
         dual_timestamp_get(&m->userspace_timestamp);
-        dual_timestamp_from_monotonic(&m->kernel_timestamp, 0);
+        if (detect_container(NULL) <= 0) {
+                dual_timestamp_from_monotonic(&m->kernel_timestamp, 0);
 #ifdef ENABLE_EFI
-        efi_get_boot_timestamps(&m->userspace_timestamp, &m->firmware_timestamp, &m->loader_timestamp);
+                efi_get_boot_timestamps(&m->userspace_timestamp, &m->firmware_timestamp, &m->loader_timestamp);
 #endif
+        }
 
         m->running_as = running_as;
         m->name_data_slot = m->conn_data_slot = m->subscribed_data_slot = -1;
diff --git a/src/shared/virt.c b/src/shared/virt.c
index fddb45d6e..7b18e58c1 100644
--- a/src/shared/virt.c
+++ b/src/shared/virt.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ int detect_vm(const char **id) {
 }
 
 int detect_container(const char **id) {
-        char *e = NULL;
+        char _cleanup_free_ *e = NULL;
         int r;
 
         /* Unfortunately many of these operations require root access
@@ -216,8 +216,6 @@ int detect_container(const char **id) {
                         *id = "other";
         }
 
-        free(e);
-
         return r;
 }