diff --git a/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c b/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
index d56ab1f01ff..9f6fe74420b 100644
--- a/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
+++ b/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
@@ -600,6 +600,11 @@ int transfer_read_definition(Transfer *t, const char *path, const char **dirs, H
                 return log_syntax(NULL, LOG_ERR, path, 1, SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL),
                                   "Target Type= must be one of partition, regular-file, directory, subvolume.");
 
+        if (t->target.type == RESOURCE_PARTITION && !t->target.partition_type_set) {
+                t->target.partition_type = gpt_partition_type_from_uuid(SD_GPT_LINUX_GENERIC);
+                t->target.partition_type_set = true;
+        }
+
         if ((IN_SET(t->source.type, RESOURCE_URL_FILE, RESOURCE_PARTITION, RESOURCE_REGULAR_FILE) &&
              !IN_SET(t->target.type, RESOURCE_PARTITION, RESOURCE_REGULAR_FILE)) ||
             (IN_SET(t->source.type, RESOURCE_URL_TAR, RESOURCE_TAR, RESOURCE_DIRECTORY, RESOURCE_SUBVOLUME) &&
@@ -1243,8 +1248,7 @@ int transfer_compute_temporary_paths(Transfer *t, Instance *i, InstanceMetadata
                 if (!r)
                         return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "Formatted pattern is not suitable as GPT partition label, refusing: %s", formatted_pattern);
 
-                if (!t->target.partition_type_set)
-                        return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "Partition type must be set for partition targets.");
+                assert(t->target.partition_type_set);
 
                 /* Derive temporary partition type UUIDs for partial/pending states from the configured
                  * partition type. This avoids the need for label prefixes. */