diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 572d88dd3e5f..30fad4f6322f 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -760,22 +760,6 @@ err:
 	return err;
 }
 
-static int
-nf_tables_chain_policy(struct nft_base_chain *chain, const struct nlattr *attr)
-{
-	switch (ntohl(nla_get_be32(attr))) {
-	case NF_DROP:
-		chain->policy = NF_DROP;
-		break;
-	case NF_ACCEPT:
-		chain->policy = NF_ACCEPT;
-		break;
-	default:
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const struct nla_policy nft_counter_policy[NFTA_COUNTER_MAX + 1] = {
 	[NFTA_COUNTER_PACKETS]	= { .type = NLA_U64 },
 	[NFTA_COUNTER_BYTES]	= { .type = NLA_U64 },
@@ -834,6 +818,7 @@ static int nf_tables_newchain(struct sock *nlsk, struct sk_buff *skb,
 	struct nlattr *ha[NFTA_HOOK_MAX + 1];
 	struct net *net = sock_net(skb->sk);
 	int family = nfmsg->nfgen_family;
+	u8 policy = NF_ACCEPT;
 	u64 handle = 0;
 	unsigned int i;
 	int err;
@@ -869,6 +854,22 @@ static int nf_tables_newchain(struct sock *nlsk, struct sk_buff *skb,
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]) {
+		if ((chain != NULL &&
+		    !(chain->flags & NFT_BASE_CHAIN)) ||
+		    nla[NFTA_CHAIN_HOOK] == NULL)
+			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
+		policy = nla_get_be32(nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]);
+		switch (policy) {
+		case NF_DROP:
+		case NF_ACCEPT:
+			break;
+		default:
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (chain != NULL) {
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_EXCL)
 			return -EEXIST;
@@ -879,15 +880,8 @@ static int nf_tables_newchain(struct sock *nlsk, struct sk_buff *skb,
 		    !IS_ERR(nf_tables_chain_lookup(table, nla[NFTA_CHAIN_NAME])))
 			return -EEXIST;
 
-		if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]) {
-			if (!(chain->flags & NFT_BASE_CHAIN))
-				return -EOPNOTSUPP;
-
-			err = nf_tables_chain_policy(nft_base_chain(chain),
-						     nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]);
-			if (err < 0)
-				return err;
-		}
+		if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY])
+			nft_base_chain(chain)->policy = policy;
 
 		if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_COUNTERS]) {
 			if (!(chain->flags & NFT_BASE_CHAIN))
@@ -958,17 +952,7 @@ static int nf_tables_newchain(struct sock *nlsk, struct sk_buff *skb,
 		}
 
 		chain->flags |= NFT_BASE_CHAIN;
-
-		if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]) {
-			err = nf_tables_chain_policy(basechain,
-						     nla[NFTA_CHAIN_POLICY]);
-			if (err < 0) {
-				free_percpu(basechain->stats);
-				kfree(basechain);
-				return err;
-			}
-		} else
-			basechain->policy = NF_ACCEPT;
+		basechain->policy = policy;
 
 		if (nla[NFTA_CHAIN_COUNTERS]) {
 			err = nf_tables_counters(basechain,