diff --git a/src/cond-w.c b/src/cond-w.c
index f64e4a3d..d7902c83 100644
--- a/src/cond-w.c
+++ b/src/cond-w.c
@@ -164,18 +164,22 @@ int cond_set_path(const char *path, enum cond_state next)
 }
 
 /* Should only be used by cond_set*(), cond_clear(), and usr/sys plugins! */
-void cond_update(const char *name)
+int cond_update(const char *name)
 {
 	svc_t *svc, *iter = NULL;
+	int affects = 0;
 
 	_d("%s", name);
 	for (svc = svc_iterator(&iter, 1); svc; svc = svc_iterator(&iter, 0)) {
 		if (!svc_has_cond(svc) || !cond_affects(name, svc->cond))
 			continue;
 
+		affects++;
 		_d("%s: match <%s> %s(%s)", name ?: "nil", svc->cond, svc->desc, svc->cmd);
 		service_step(svc);
 	}
+
+	return affects;
 }
 
 int cond_set_noupdate(const char *name)
diff --git a/src/cond.h b/src/cond.h
index 3dcbeaad..f3097b13 100644
--- a/src/cond.h
+++ b/src/cond.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ enum cond_state cond_get     (const char *name);
 enum cond_state cond_get_agg (const char *names);
 int             cond_affects (const char *name, const char *names);
 
-void cond_update      (const char *name);
+int  cond_update      (const char *name);
 int  cond_set_path    (const char *path, enum cond_state new);
 void cond_set         (const char *name);
 void cond_set_oneshot (const char *name);