diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
index 75af1f701e1d..f17a09f7fbf9 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
@@ -478,6 +478,20 @@ __lookup_addr_by_id(struct pm_nl_pernet *pernet, unsigned int id)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *
+__lookup_addr(struct pm_nl_pernet *pernet, const struct mptcp_addr_info *info,
+	      bool lookup_by_id)
+{
+	struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *entry;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(entry, &pernet->local_addr_list, list) {
+		if ((!lookup_by_id && addresses_equal(&entry->addr, info, true)) ||
+		    (lookup_by_id && entry->addr.id == info->id))
+			return entry;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static int
 lookup_id_by_addr(struct pm_nl_pernet *pernet, const struct mptcp_addr_info *addr)
 {
@@ -1763,18 +1777,21 @@ static int mptcp_nl_cmd_set_flags(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	}
 
-	list_for_each_entry(entry, &pernet->local_addr_list, list) {
-		if ((!lookup_by_id && addresses_equal(&entry->addr, &addr.addr, true)) ||
-		    (lookup_by_id && entry->addr.id == addr.addr.id)) {
-			mptcp_nl_addr_backup(net, &entry->addr, bkup);
-
-			if (bkup)
-				entry->flags |= MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP;
-			else
-				entry->flags &= ~MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP;
-		}
+	spin_lock_bh(&pernet->lock);
+	entry = __lookup_addr(pernet, &addr.addr, lookup_by_id);
+	if (!entry) {
+		spin_unlock_bh(&pernet->lock);
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (bkup)
+		entry->flags |= MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP;
+	else
+		entry->flags &= ~MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP;
+	addr = *entry;
+	spin_unlock_bh(&pernet->lock);
+
+	mptcp_nl_addr_backup(net, &addr.addr, bkup);
 	return 0;
 }