diff --git a/net/sched/cls_api.c b/net/sched/cls_api.c
index c1a4b5d30814..330a2c9d1907 100644
--- a/net/sched/cls_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/cls_api.c
@@ -268,10 +268,13 @@ replay:
 		err = -ENOENT;
 		tp_ops = tcf_proto_lookup_ops(tca[TCA_KIND]);
 		if (tp_ops == NULL) {
-#ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 			struct nlattr *kind = tca[TCA_KIND];
 			char name[IFNAMSIZ];
 
+			if (cl)
+				cops->put(q, cl);
+			cl = 0;
+#ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 			if (kind != NULL &&
 			    nla_strlcpy(name, kind, IFNAMSIZ) < IFNAMSIZ) {
 				rtnl_unlock();