diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index bc6f0c8874f8..4747daf901e7 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -2086,12 +2086,15 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct net *net,
 
 	err = nf_conntrack_hash_check_insert(ct);
 	if (err < 0)
-		goto err2;
+		goto err3;
 
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	return ct;
 
+err3:
+	if (ct->master)
+		nf_ct_put(ct->master);
 err2:
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 err1: