diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index e2e5ff6acd2bf6..dd57a9ebe113d9 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -3626,8 +3626,6 @@ static int nf_tables_newrule(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct nfnl_info *info,
 			NL_SET_BAD_ATTR(extack, nla[NFTA_RULE_CHAIN]);
 			return PTR_ERR(chain);
 		}
-		if (nft_chain_is_bound(chain))
-			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
 	} else if (nla[NFTA_RULE_CHAIN_ID]) {
 		chain = nft_chain_lookup_byid(net, table, nla[NFTA_RULE_CHAIN_ID],
@@ -3640,6 +3638,9 @@ static int nf_tables_newrule(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct nfnl_info *info,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (nft_chain_is_bound(chain))
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	if (nla[NFTA_RULE_HANDLE]) {
 		handle = be64_to_cpu(nla_get_be64(nla[NFTA_RULE_HANDLE]));
 		rule = __nft_rule_lookup(chain, handle);