diff --git a/net/sched/cls_api.c b/net/sched/cls_api.c
index 4e6a2812a4f3..3271963c945d 100644
--- a/net/sched/cls_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/cls_api.c
@@ -2248,6 +2248,12 @@ static bool is_ingress_or_clsact(struct tcf_block *block, struct Qdisc *q)
 	return tcf_block_shared(block) || (q && !!(q->flags & TCQ_F_INGRESS));
 }
 
+enum tcf_tp_insert_state {
+	TP_NOT_CREATED = 0, /* did not create and insert a new tp */
+	TP_CREATED, /* created and inserted a new tp */
+	TP_NOT_OWNED, /* created a proto but failed to insert */
+};
+
 static int tc_new_tfilter(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 			  struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
@@ -2268,12 +2274,12 @@ static int tc_new_tfilter(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 	unsigned long cl;
 	void *fh;
 	int err;
-	int tp_created;
+	enum tcf_tp_insert_state tp_state;
 	bool rtnl_held = false;
 	u32 flags;
 
 replay:
-	tp_created = 0;
+	tp_state = TP_NOT_CREATED;
 
 	err = nlmsg_parse_deprecated(n, sizeof(*t), tca, TCA_MAX,
 				     rtm_tca_policy, extack);
@@ -2395,13 +2401,15 @@ static int tc_new_tfilter(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 			goto errout_tp;
 		}
 
-		tp_created = 1;
+		tp_state = TP_CREATED;
 		tp = tcf_chain_tp_insert_unique(chain, tp_new, protocol, prio,
 						rtnl_held);
 		if (IS_ERR(tp)) {
 			err = PTR_ERR(tp);
 			goto errout_tp;
 		}
+		if (tp != tp_new)
+			tp_state = TP_NOT_OWNED;
 	} else {
 		mutex_unlock(&chain->filter_chain_lock);
 	}
@@ -2455,13 +2463,13 @@ static int tc_new_tfilter(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 	}
 
 errout:
-	if (err && tp_created)
+	if (err && tp_state == TP_CREATED)
 		tcf_chain_tp_delete_empty(chain, tp, rtnl_held, NULL);
 errout_tp:
 	if (chain) {
 		if (tp && !IS_ERR(tp))
 			tcf_proto_put(tp, rtnl_held, NULL);
-		if (!tp_created)
+		if (tp_state == TP_NOT_CREATED)
 			tcf_chain_put(chain);
 	}
 	tcf_block_release(q, block, rtnl_held);