diff --git a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
index 87a9009d5234dd..5bc342cb13767d 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
@@ -167,7 +167,9 @@ instance_destroy_rcu(struct rcu_head *head)
 	struct nfqnl_instance *inst = container_of(head, struct nfqnl_instance,
 						   rcu);
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	nfqnl_flush(inst, NULL, 0);
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	kfree(inst);
 	module_put(THIS_MODULE);
 }