diff --git a/net/sched/sch_ets.c b/net/sched/sch_ets.c
index d686ea7e8db4..07fae45f5873 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_ets.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_ets.c
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ static const struct nla_policy ets_class_policy[TCA_ETS_MAX + 1] = {
 	[TCA_ETS_QUANTA_BAND] = { .type = NLA_U32 },
 };
 
+static bool cl_is_active(struct ets_class *cl)
+{
+	return !list_empty(&cl->alist);
+}
+
 static int ets_quantum_parse(struct Qdisc *sch, const struct nlattr *attr,
 			     unsigned int *quantum,
 			     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
@@ -424,7 +429,6 @@ static int ets_qdisc_enqueue(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch,
 	struct ets_sched *q = qdisc_priv(sch);
 	struct ets_class *cl;
 	int err = 0;
-	bool first;
 
 	cl = ets_classify(skb, sch, &err);
 	if (!cl) {
@@ -434,7 +438,6 @@ static int ets_qdisc_enqueue(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch,
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	first = !cl->qdisc->q.qlen;
 	err = qdisc_enqueue(skb, cl->qdisc, to_free);
 	if (unlikely(err != NET_XMIT_SUCCESS)) {
 		if (net_xmit_drop_count(err)) {
@@ -444,7 +447,7 @@ static int ets_qdisc_enqueue(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch,
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	if (first && !ets_class_is_strict(q, cl)) {
+	if (!cl_is_active(cl) && !ets_class_is_strict(q, cl)) {
 		list_add_tail(&cl->alist, &q->active);
 		cl->deficit = cl->quantum;
 	}