diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
index e620100eabe0..3e542b030fc1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
@@ -1133,7 +1133,8 @@ static void mlx5e_tc_del_nic_flow(struct mlx5e_priv *priv,
 	if (attr->action & MLX5_FLOW_CONTEXT_ACTION_MOD_HDR)
 		mlx5e_detach_mod_hdr(priv, flow);
 
-	mlx5_fc_destroy(priv->mdev, attr->counter);
+	if (attr->action & MLX5_FLOW_CONTEXT_ACTION_COUNT)
+		mlx5_fc_destroy(priv->mdev, attr->counter);
 
 	if (flow_flag_test(flow, HAIRPIN))
 		mlx5e_hairpin_flow_del(priv, flow);