diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_flow_offload.c b/net/netfilter/nft_flow_offload.c
index 32b4281038dd..d3c5651dd699 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_flow_offload.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_flow_offload.c
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ static int nft_flow_offload_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	struct nft_flow_offload *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
 	u8 genmask = nft_genmask_next(ctx->net);
 	struct nft_flowtable *flowtable;
+	int err;
 
 	if (!tb[NFTA_FLOW_TABLE_NAME])
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -174,7 +175,11 @@ static int nft_flow_offload_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 
 	priv->flowtable = flowtable;
 
-	return nf_ct_netns_get(ctx->net, ctx->family);
+	err = nf_ct_netns_get(ctx->net, ctx->family);
+	if (err < 0)
+		nft_use_dec(&flowtable->use);
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static void nft_flow_offload_deactivate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,