diff --git a/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.test.ts b/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.test.ts
index 03b6153bb..19e4729ac 100644
--- a/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.test.ts
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ describe('SubclusterManager', () => {
       });
 
       await expect(subclusterManager.launchSubcluster(config)).rejects.toThrow(
-        "kernel service 'kernelFacet' is restricted to system subclusters",
+        "no registered kernel service 'kernelFacet'",
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.ts b/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.ts
index 2f82bebb4..8d00ba3b7 100644
--- a/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.ts
+++ b/packages/ocap-kernel/src/vats/SubclusterManager.ts
@@ -227,14 +227,9 @@ export class SubclusterManager {
     }
     for (const name of config.services) {
       const service = this.#getKernelService(name);
-      if (!service) {
+      if (!service || (service.systemOnly && !isSystem)) {
         throw Error(`no registered kernel service '${name}'`);
       }
-      if (service.systemOnly && !isSystem) {
-        throw Error(
-          `kernel service '${name}' is restricted to system subclusters`,
-        );
-      }
     }
   }