diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_rule.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_rule.c
index b3c9dc032026..478de5ded7c2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_rule.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_rule.c
@@ -824,9 +824,9 @@ again:
 			new_htbl = dr_rule_rehash(rule, nic_rule, cur_htbl,
 						  ste_location, send_ste_list);
 			if (!new_htbl) {
-				mlx5dr_htbl_put(cur_htbl);
 				mlx5dr_err(dmn, "Failed creating rehash table, htbl-log_size: %d\n",
 					   cur_htbl->chunk_size);
+				mlx5dr_htbl_put(cur_htbl);
 			} else {
 				cur_htbl = new_htbl;
 			}