diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 96903c72ebb4..b4d38656d98f 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -2101,9 +2101,9 @@ static int nf_tables_addchain(struct nft_ctx *ctx, u8 family, u8 genmask,
 			      struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
 	const struct nlattr * const *nla = ctx->nla;
+	struct nft_stats __percpu *stats = NULL;
 	struct nft_table *table = ctx->table;
 	struct nft_base_chain *basechain;
-	struct nft_stats __percpu *stats;
 	struct net *net = ctx->net;
 	char name[NFT_NAME_MAXLEN];
 	struct nft_trans *trans;
@@ -2140,7 +2140,6 @@ static int nf_tables_addchain(struct nft_ctx *ctx, u8 family, u8 genmask,
 				return PTR_ERR(stats);
 			}
 			rcu_assign_pointer(basechain->stats, stats);
-			static_branch_inc(&nft_counters_enabled);
 		}
 
 		err = nft_basechain_init(basechain, family, &hook, flags);
@@ -2223,6 +2222,9 @@ static int nf_tables_addchain(struct nft_ctx *ctx, u8 family, u8 genmask,
 		goto err_unregister_hook;
 	}
 
+	if (stats)
+		static_branch_inc(&nft_counters_enabled);
+
 	table->use++;
 
 	return 0;