diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 6295af0693cf..689e9c0570ba 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -2344,41 +2344,46 @@ static int nf_tables_newrule(struct net *net, struct sock *nlsk,
 	}
 
 	if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_REPLACE) {
-		if (nft_is_active_next(net, old_rule)) {
-			trans = nft_trans_rule_add(&ctx, NFT_MSG_DELRULE,
-						   old_rule);
-			if (trans == NULL) {
-				err = -ENOMEM;
-				goto err2;
-			}
-			nft_deactivate_next(net, old_rule);
-			chain->use--;
-			list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
-		} else {
+		if (!nft_is_active_next(net, old_rule)) {
 			err = -ENOENT;
 			goto err2;
 		}
-	} else if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_APPEND)
-		if (old_rule)
-			list_add_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
-		else
-			list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &chain->rules);
-	else {
-		if (old_rule)
-			list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
-		else
-			list_add_rcu(&rule->list, &chain->rules);
-	}
+		trans = nft_trans_rule_add(&ctx, NFT_MSG_DELRULE,
+					   old_rule);
+		if (trans == NULL) {
+			err = -ENOMEM;
+			goto err2;
+		}
+		nft_deactivate_next(net, old_rule);
+		chain->use--;
 
-	if (nft_trans_rule_add(&ctx, NFT_MSG_NEWRULE, rule) == NULL) {
-		err = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err3;
+		if (nft_trans_rule_add(&ctx, NFT_MSG_NEWRULE, rule) == NULL) {
+			err = -ENOMEM;
+			goto err2;
+		}
+
+		list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
+	} else {
+		if (nft_trans_rule_add(&ctx, NFT_MSG_NEWRULE, rule) == NULL) {
+			err = -ENOMEM;
+			goto err2;
+		}
+
+		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_APPEND) {
+			if (old_rule)
+				list_add_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
+			else
+				list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &chain->rules);
+		 } else {
+			if (old_rule)
+				list_add_tail_rcu(&rule->list, &old_rule->list);
+			else
+				list_add_rcu(&rule->list, &chain->rules);
+		}
 	}
 	chain->use++;
 	return 0;
 
-err3:
-	list_del_rcu(&rule->list);
 err2:
 	nf_tables_rule_destroy(&ctx, rule);
 err1: