diff --git a/cmd/containerd/command/notify_linux.go b/cmd/containerd/command/notify_linux.go
index f97a1d3a5..bf0026030 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd/command/notify_linux.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd/command/notify_linux.go
@@ -36,10 +36,13 @@ func notifyStopping(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func sdNotify(ctx context.Context, state string) error {
 	notified, err := sd.SdNotify(false, state)
-	log.G(ctx).
-		WithError(err).
-		WithField("notified", notified).
+	entry := log.G(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		entry = entry.WithError(err)
+	}
+	entry.WithField("notified", notified).
 		WithField("state", state).
 		Debug("sd notification")
+
 	return err
 }