Dear Maintainer,

I get the Subject lines in syslog every night.  I include some extracts
from system log files.  Apparently, a cron job starts as user nobody,
pulseaudio tries to start but cannot find a home.  But I am not sure the
diagnosis is correct, and don't know why it started only after an
upgrade (did not happen in July).

- /var/log/auth.log
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano su: (to nobody) root on none
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano su: pam_unix(su:session): session opened for user nobody by (uid=0)
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd: pam_unix(systemd-user:session): session opened for user nobody by (uid=0)
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano su: pam_unix(su:session): session closed for user nobody
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano su: (to nobody) root on none
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano su: pam_unix(su:session): session opened for user nobody by (uid=0)
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano su: pam_unix(su:session): session closed for user nobody
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano su: (to nobody) root on none

- /var/log/syslog
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Created slice User Slice of UID 65534.
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Starting User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534...
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Started User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534.
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Starting User Manager for UID 65534...
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[2187]: gpgconf: running /usr/bin/gpg-agent failed (exitcode=2): General error
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[2187]: gpgconf: fatal error (exit status 1)
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG network certificate management daemon.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent (ssh-agent emulation).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Timers.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (access for web browsers).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on Sound System.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (restricted).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Paths.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Sockets.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Basic System.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started User Manager for UID 65534.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c104 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: session-c104.scope: Succeeded.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c105 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: session-c105.scope: Succeeded.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c106 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano pulseaudio[2199]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Main User Target.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Startup finished in 879ms.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano kernel: [3009404.547913] i2c i2c-0: sendbytes: NAK bailout.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano kernel: [3009404.655785] [drm:radeon_vga_detect [radeon]] *ERROR* VGA-1: probed a monitor but no|invalid EDID
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano pulseaudio[2212]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 2.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano pulseaudio[2213]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano pulseaudio[2220]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 4.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano pulseaudio[2228]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 5.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result 'service-start-limit-hit'.

- /var/log/daemon.log
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Created slice User Slice of UID 65534.
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Starting User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534...
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Started User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534.
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[1]: Starting User Manager for UID 65534...
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[2187]: gpgconf: running /usr/bin/gpg-agent failed (exitcode=2): General error
Sep  6 07:39:49 tucano systemd[2187]: gpgconf: fatal error (exit status 1)
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG network certificate management daemon.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent (ssh-agent emulation).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Timers.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (access for web browsers).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on Sound System.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (restricted).
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Paths.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Listening on D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Sockets.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Basic System.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started User Manager for UID 65534.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c104 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: session-c104.scope: Succeeded.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c105 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: session-c105.scope: Succeeded.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[1]: Started Session c106 of user nobody.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano pulseaudio[2199]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Reached target Main User Target.
Sep  6 07:39:50 tucano systemd[2187]: Startup finished in 879ms.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano pulseaudio[2212]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 2.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:51 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano pulseaudio[2213]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:52 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano pulseaudio[2220]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 4.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Starting Sound Service...
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano pulseaudio[2228]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:53 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 5.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: Stopped Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep  6 07:39:54 tucano systemd[2187]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result 'service-start-limit-hit'.
Sep  6 07:41:13 tucano systemd[1]: session-c106.scope: Succeeded.

I also get this problem. Here's what I see everyday in my logs:

Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes pulseaudio[2828]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Home directory not accessible: Permission non accordée
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2759]: Stopping D-Bus User Message Bus...
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes pulseaudio[3261]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Home directory not accessible: Permission non accordée
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:09 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 2.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes pulseaudio[3989]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Home directory not accessible: Permission non accordée
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes pulseaudio[4807]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Home directory not accessible: Permission non accordée
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:10 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 4.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes pulseaudio[5868]: E: [pulseaudio] core-util.c: Home directory not accessible: Permission non accordée
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 5.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: Failed to start Sound Service.
Sep 11 07:39:11 akranes systemd[2814]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result 'service-start-limit-hit'.
Sep 11 07:39:19 akranes systemd[2814]: Stopping D-Bus User Message Bus...

Francois

Dear Maintainer,

Just indicating bugs still exists in 13.0-5.

Q: Should pulseaudio run for the "nobody" user?  If so, shouldn't it use
/var/user/nnnn temporary directory instead of $HOME?

- -- Package-specific info:
File '/etc/default/pulseaudio' does not exist


- -- System Information:
Debian Release: bullseye/sid
  APT prefers stable-updates
  APT policy: (900, 'stable-updates'), (900, 'testing'), (900, 'stable'), (850, 'proposed-updates'), (500, 'unstable'), (300, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 5.9.0-4-amd64 (SMP w/16 CPU threads)
Locale: LANG=en_US.utf8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.utf8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE=en_US
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages pulseaudio depends on:
ii  adduser                      3.118
ii  init-system-helpers          1.59
ii  libasound2                   1.2.4-1
ii  libasound2-plugins           1.2.2-2
ii  libc6                        2.31-5
ii  libcap2                      1:2.44-1
ii  libdbus-1-3                  1.12.20-1
ii  libgcc-s1                    10.2.0-19
ii  libice6                      2:1.0.10-1
ii  libltdl7                     2.4.6-14
ii  liborc-0.4-0                 1:0.4.32-1
ii  libpulse0                    13.0-5
ii  libsm6                       2:1.2.3-1
ii  libsndfile1                  1.0.28-8
ii  libsoxr0                     0.1.3-4
ii  libspeexdsp1                 1.2~rc1.2-1.1
ii  libstdc++6                   10.2.0-19
ii  libsystemd0                  247.1-3
ii  libtdb1                      1.4.3-1+b1
ii  libudev1                     247.1-3
ii  libwebrtc-audio-processing1  0.3-1+b1
ii  libx11-6                     2:1.6.12-1
ii  libx11-xcb1                  2:1.6.12-1
ii  libxcb1                      1.14-2
ii  libxtst6                     2:1.2.3-1
ii  lsb-base                     11.1.0
ii  pulseaudio-utils             13.0-5

Versions of packages pulseaudio recommends:
ii  dbus-user-session        1.12.20-1
ii  libpam-systemd [logind]  247.1-3
ii  rtkit                    0.13-4

Versions of packages pulseaudio suggests:
pn  paman        <none>
pn  paprefs      <none>
ii  pavucontrol  4.0-2
ii  pavumeter    0.9.3-4+b3
ii  udev         247.1-3

- -- no debconf information
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

iHQEARECADQWIQTFhn3a8g2plxzZYyjnmmovsbVAWQUCX9jbNRYcYnNzQGlndWFu
YXN1aWNpZGUubmV0AAoJEOeaai+xtUBZKqUAmwTh0i+fWZNgODDBjjOQA/vU3mR4
AJ92pF7rvHVpbeHo4r9b1ZyrR3Bdpg==
=qn+i
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

```
sudo systemd-run su nobody -c "/bin/true"
```

When I run that, I get this in the logs (abbreviated):

```
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling sudo[654179]:     mike : TTY=pts/3 ; PWD=/etc/cron.daily ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/systemd-run su nobody -c /bin/true
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling sudo[654179]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=1000)
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[1]: Started run-r4a62261dbedd4a1cbcbab7e0f38f16db.service - /usr/bin/su nobody -c /bin/true.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling sudo[654179]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling su[654182]: (to nobody) root on none
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling su[654182]: pam_unix(su:session): session opened for user nobody(uid=65534) by (uid=0)
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[1]: Created slice user-65534.slice - User Slice of UID 65534.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[1]: Starting user-runtime-dir@65534.service - User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534...
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[1]: Finished user-runtime-dir@65534.service - User Runtime Directory /run/user/65534.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[1]: Starting user@65534.service - User Manager for UID 65534...
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling (systemd)[654184]: pam_unix(systemd-user:session): session opened for user nobody(uid=65534) by (uid=0)
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Queued start job for default target default.target.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Created slice app.slice - User Application Slice.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Created slice session.slice - User Core Session Slice.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Reached target paths.target - Paths.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Reached target timers.target - Timers.
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Starting dbus.socket - D-Bus User Message Bus Socket...
[...]
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Listening on pulseaudio.socket - Sound System.
[...]
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling systemd[654184]: Starting pulseaudio.service - Sound Service...
[...]
Sep 07 21:07:07 fling pulseaudio[654201]: Failed to create secure directory (/nonexistent/.config/pulse): No such file or directory
```

What's happening is systemd is switching from root to nobody, and in the process it's activating the `default.target` for a user.

OK, why is this relevant? If you look at the journal around the daily pulseaudio error and scroll up a bit, you can see that the errors occur at the same time. It starts like this:

```
Sep 07 06:25:01 fling CRON[631236]: pam_unix(cron:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=0)
Sep 07 06:25:01 fling CRON[631237]: (root) CMD (test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || { cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily; })
Sep 07 06:25:01 fling su[631260]: (to nobody) root on none
Sep 07 06:25:01 fling su[631260]: pam_unix(su:session): session opened for user nobody(uid=65534) by (uid=0)
```

I only have one functioning daily cronjob, `locate`. It eventually calls `updatedb.findutils` with `LOCALUSER=nobody`, and then calls:

```
su $LOCALUSER ...
```

And that's how all our trouble begins.

So a less-minimal way to reproduce this is:

```
sudo systemd-run /etc/cron.daily/locate
```

Anyway, I don't know how to solve this, but that's the cause of the noise. Moving the `locate` daily to a timer would (potentially) cause us to no longer see the errors, but it'd mask that the `nobody` user probably shouldn't cause all of (user) `default.target` to load. I'll leave the solution to all this to someone smarter.