diff --git a/net/netfilter/x_tables.c b/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
index e594b3b7ad82..b39017c80548 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
@@ -501,6 +501,17 @@ int xt_check_match(struct xt_mtchk_param *par,
 				    par->match->table, par->table);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+
+	/* NFPROTO_UNSPEC implies NF_INET_* hooks which do not overlap with
+	 * NF_ARP_IN,OUT,FORWARD, allow explicit extensions with NFPROTO_ARP
+	 * support.
+	 */
+	if (par->family == NFPROTO_ARP &&
+	    par->match->family != NFPROTO_ARP) {
+		pr_info_ratelimited("%s_tables: %s match: not valid for this family\n",
+				    xt_prefix[par->family], par->match->name);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 	if (par->match->hooks && (par->hook_mask & ~par->match->hooks) != 0) {
 		char used[64], allow[64];
 
@@ -1016,6 +1027,18 @@ int xt_check_target(struct xt_tgchk_param *par,
 				    par->target->table, par->table);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+
+	/* NFPROTO_UNSPEC implies NF_INET_* hooks which do not overlap with
+	 * NF_ARP_IN,OUT,FORWARD, allow explicit extensions with NFPROTO_ARP
+	 * support.
+	 */
+	if (par->family == NFPROTO_ARP &&
+	    par->target->family != NFPROTO_ARP) {
+		pr_info_ratelimited("%s_tables: %s target: not valid for this family\n",
+				    xt_prefix[par->family], par->target->name);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (par->target->hooks && (par->hook_mask & ~par->target->hooks) != 0) {
 		char used[64], allow[64];