diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c b/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
index 2e07cec50ffd..c21e7eb8dce0 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@
 #include <linux/netfilter_arp/arp_tables.h>
 #include <net/netfilter/nf_tables.h>
 
+struct nft_xt {
+	struct list_head	head;
+	struct nft_expr_ops	ops;
+	unsigned int		refcnt;
+};
+
+static void nft_xt_put(struct nft_xt *xt)
+{
+	if (--xt->refcnt == 0) {
+		list_del(&xt->head);
+		kfree(xt);
+	}
+}
+
 static int nft_compat_chain_validate_dependency(const char *tablename,
 						const struct nft_chain *chain)
 {
@@ -260,6 +274,7 @@ nft_target_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr)
 	if (par.target->destroy != NULL)
 		par.target->destroy(&par);
 
+	nft_xt_put(container_of(expr->ops, struct nft_xt, ops));
 	module_put(target->me);
 }
 
@@ -442,6 +457,7 @@ nft_match_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr)
 	if (par.match->destroy != NULL)
 		par.match->destroy(&par);
 
+	nft_xt_put(container_of(expr->ops, struct nft_xt, ops));
 	module_put(match->me);
 }
 
@@ -612,11 +628,6 @@ static const struct nfnetlink_subsystem nfnl_compat_subsys = {
 
 static LIST_HEAD(nft_match_list);
 
-struct nft_xt {
-	struct list_head	head;
-	struct nft_expr_ops	ops;
-};
-
 static struct nft_expr_type nft_match_type;
 
 static bool nft_match_cmp(const struct xt_match *match,
@@ -653,6 +664,7 @@ nft_match_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			if (!try_module_get(match->me))
 				return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
 
+			nft_match->refcnt++;
 			return &nft_match->ops;
 		}
 	}
@@ -673,6 +685,7 @@ nft_match_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 		goto err;
 	}
 
+	nft_match->refcnt = 1;
 	nft_match->ops.type = &nft_match_type;
 	nft_match->ops.size = NFT_EXPR_SIZE(XT_ALIGN(match->matchsize));
 	nft_match->ops.eval = nft_match_eval;
@@ -690,14 +703,6 @@ err:
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }
 
-static void nft_match_release(void)
-{
-	struct nft_xt *nft_match, *tmp;
-
-	list_for_each_entry_safe(nft_match, tmp, &nft_match_list, head)
-		kfree(nft_match);
-}
-
 static struct nft_expr_type nft_match_type __read_mostly = {
 	.name		= "match",
 	.select_ops	= nft_match_select_ops,
@@ -744,6 +749,7 @@ nft_target_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			if (!try_module_get(target->me))
 				return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
 
+			nft_target->refcnt++;
 			return &nft_target->ops;
 		}
 	}
@@ -764,6 +770,7 @@ nft_target_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 		goto err;
 	}
 
+	nft_target->refcnt = 1;
 	nft_target->ops.type = &nft_target_type;
 	nft_target->ops.size = NFT_EXPR_SIZE(XT_ALIGN(target->targetsize));
 	nft_target->ops.init = nft_target_init;
@@ -785,14 +792,6 @@ err:
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }
 
-static void nft_target_release(void)
-{
-	struct nft_xt *nft_target, *tmp;
-
-	list_for_each_entry_safe(nft_target, tmp, &nft_target_list, head)
-		kfree(nft_target);
-}
-
 static struct nft_expr_type nft_target_type __read_mostly = {
 	.name		= "target",
 	.select_ops	= nft_target_select_ops,
@@ -835,8 +834,6 @@ static void __exit nft_compat_module_exit(void)
 	nfnetlink_subsys_unregister(&nfnl_compat_subsys);
 	nft_unregister_expr(&nft_target_type);
 	nft_unregister_expr(&nft_match_type);
-	nft_match_release();
-	nft_target_release();
 }
 
 MODULE_ALIAS_NFNL_SUBSYS(NFNL_SUBSYS_NFT_COMPAT);