diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 3d7ea7af76fc..b6977776d715 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -1358,12 +1358,15 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct net *net, u16 zone,
 						    nf_ct_protonum(ct));
 		if (helper == NULL) {
 			rcu_read_unlock();
+			spin_unlock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 			if (request_module("nfct-helper-%s", helpname) < 0) {
+				spin_lock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 				err = -EOPNOTSUPP;
 				goto err1;
 			}
 
+			spin_lock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 			rcu_read_lock();
 			helper = __nf_conntrack_helper_find(helpname,
 							    nf_ct_l3num(ct),