Ohmm ... systemctl --user status dbus.socket * dbus.socket - D-Bus User Message Bus Socket Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/dbus.socket; static; vendor preset: disabled) Active: inactive (dead) Listen: /run/user/223/bus (Stream) ... that seems to be a part of the problem, but dbus.socket is linked below /usr/lib/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/ Also set debug on pam_systemd.so in common-session to see more: Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: [PAM] Starting... Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: [PAM] Authenticating... Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: gkr-pam: unable to locate daemon control file Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: [PAM] Preparing to converse... Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: pam_kwallet5(sddm:auth): (null): pam_sm_authenticate Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: [PAM] Conversation with 1 messages Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: [PAM] returning. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm[2224]: Authenticated successfully Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-greeter[23827]: Message received from daemon: LoginSucceeded Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: pam_kwallet5(sddm:setcred): pam_kwallet5: pam_sm_setcred Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: pam_systemd(sddm:session): pam-systemd initializing Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: pam_systemd(sddm:session): Asking logind to create session: uid=223 pid=23902 service=sddm type=x11 class=user desktop=KDE seat=seat0 vtnr=7 tty= display=:0 remote=no remote_user= remote_host= Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23902]: pam_systemd(sddm:session): Session limits: memory_max=n/a tasks_max=n/a cpu_weight=n/a io_weight=n/a Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[1]: Created slice User Slice of UID 223. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[1]: Starting User Runtime Directory /run/user/223... Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd-logind[2163]: New session 71 of user werner. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[1]: Started User Runtime Directory /run/user/223. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[1]: Starting User Manager for UID 223... Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23819]: [PAM] Closing session Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23819]: pam_unix(sddm-greeter:session): session closed for user sddm Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23819]: pam_kwallet5(sddm-greeter:session): pam_kwallet5: pam_sm_close_session Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm-helper[23819]: [PAM] Ended. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm[2224]: Auth: sddm-helper exited successfully Nov 15 10:51:01 noether sddm[2224]: Greeter stopped. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd-logind[2163]: Session 70 logged out. Waiting for processes to exit. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: pam_systemd(systemd-user:session): pam-systemd initializing Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: pam_unix(systemd-user:session): session opened for user werner(uid=223) by (uid=0) Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: pam_kwallet5(systemd-user:session): (null): pam_sm_open_session Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: pam_kwallet5(systemd-user:session): pam_kwallet5: not a graphical session, skipping. Use force_run parameter to ignore this. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: Reached target Paths. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: Reached target Timers. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: dbus.socket: Socket service dbus.service not loaded, refusing. Nov 15 10:51:01 noether systemd[23907]: Failed to listen on D-Bus User Message Bus Socket. Indeed: systemctl --user status dbus.service Unit dbus.service could not be found.