diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
index 38708e6cfae7..ef84f43f0734 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -1257,6 +1257,9 @@ static int ctnetlink_expect_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 	} else
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
 
+	if (!nfnetlink_has_listeners(NFNLGRP_CONNTRACK_EXP_NEW))
+		return NOTIFY_DONE;
+
 	skb = alloc_skb(NLMSG_GOODSIZE, GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (!skb)
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index aa0148f418a9..dc4f081dca91 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -1278,6 +1278,9 @@ static int ctnetlink_expect_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 	} else
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
 
+	if (!nfnetlink_has_listeners(NFNLGRP_CONNTRACK_EXP_NEW))
+		return NOTIFY_DONE;
+
 	skb = alloc_skb(NLMSG_GOODSIZE, GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (!skb)
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;