diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
index 4e1ea18eb5f0..ac7c94d3648e 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
@@ -1271,6 +1271,12 @@ static inline bool nft_table_has_owner(const struct nft_table *table)
 	return table->flags & NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER;
 }
 
+static inline bool nft_table_is_orphan(const struct nft_table *table)
+{
+	return (table->flags & (NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER | NFT_TABLE_F_PERSIST)) ==
+			NFT_TABLE_F_PERSIST;
+}
+
 static inline bool nft_base_chain_netdev(int family, u32 hooknum)
 {
 	return family == NFPROTO_NETDEV ||
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 6a96f0003faa..b0e0d039897e 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -1194,8 +1194,10 @@ static void nf_tables_table_disable(struct net *net, struct nft_table *table)
 #define __NFT_TABLE_F_INTERNAL		(NFT_TABLE_F_MASK + 1)
 #define __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_DORMANT	(__NFT_TABLE_F_INTERNAL << 0)
 #define __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_AWAKEN	(__NFT_TABLE_F_INTERNAL << 1)
+#define __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_ORPHAN	(__NFT_TABLE_F_INTERNAL << 2)
 #define __NFT_TABLE_F_UPDATE		(__NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_DORMANT | \
-					 __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_AWAKEN)
+					 __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_AWAKEN | \
+					 __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_ORPHAN)
 
 static int nf_tables_updtable(struct nft_ctx *ctx)
 {
@@ -1215,8 +1217,8 @@ static int nf_tables_updtable(struct nft_ctx *ctx)
 
 	if ((nft_table_has_owner(ctx->table) &&
 	     !(flags & NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER)) ||
-	    (!nft_table_has_owner(ctx->table) &&
-	     flags & NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER))
+	    (flags & NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER &&
+	     !nft_table_is_orphan(ctx->table)))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
 	if ((flags ^ ctx->table->flags) & NFT_TABLE_F_PERSIST)
@@ -1248,6 +1250,13 @@ static int nf_tables_updtable(struct nft_ctx *ctx)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if ((flags & NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER) &&
+	    !nft_table_has_owner(ctx->table)) {
+		ctx->table->nlpid = ctx->portid;
+		ctx->table->flags |= NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER |
+				     __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_ORPHAN;
+	}
+
 	nft_trans_table_update(trans) = true;
 	nft_trans_commit_list_add_tail(ctx->net, trans);
 
@@ -10423,6 +10432,10 @@ static int __nf_tables_abort(struct net *net, enum nfnl_abort_action action)
 				} else if (trans->ctx.table->flags & __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_AWAKEN) {
 					trans->ctx.table->flags &= ~NFT_TABLE_F_DORMANT;
 				}
+				if (trans->ctx.table->flags & __NFT_TABLE_F_WAS_ORPHAN) {
+					trans->ctx.table->flags &= ~NFT_TABLE_F_OWNER;
+					trans->ctx.table->nlpid = 0;
+				}
 				trans->ctx.table->flags &= ~__NFT_TABLE_F_UPDATE;
 				nft_trans_destroy(trans);
 			} else {