diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 3c9292d3f826..b32838974ff1 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -3409,7 +3409,8 @@ static int nf_tables_newrule(struct net *net, struct sock *nlsk,
 
 	return 0;
 err2:
-	nf_tables_rule_release(&ctx, rule);
+	nft_rule_expr_deactivate(&ctx, rule, NFT_TRANS_PREPARE);
+	nf_tables_rule_destroy(&ctx, rule);
 err1:
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		if (info[i].ops) {