diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 5cb8d3027b18..2b7eef37875c 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -972,7 +972,8 @@ ctnetlink_get_conntrack(struct sock *ctnl, struct sk_buff *skb,
 free:
 	kfree_skb(skb2);
 out:
-	return err;
+	/* this avoids a loop in nfnetlink. */
+	return err == -EAGAIN ? -ENOBUFS : err;
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NF_NAT_NEEDED