diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
index 11e12761b0a6..739bf5dc5a25 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
@@ -968,17 +968,19 @@ static int connect_fwd_rules(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev,
 static int connect_flow_table(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, struct mlx5_flow_table *ft,
 			      struct fs_prio *prio)
 {
-	struct mlx5_flow_table *next_ft;
+	struct mlx5_flow_table *next_ft, *first_ft;
 	int err = 0;
 
 	/* Connect_prev_fts and update_root_ft_create are mutually exclusive */
 
-	if (list_empty(&prio->node.children)) {
+	first_ft = list_first_entry_or_null(&prio->node.children,
+					    struct mlx5_flow_table, node.list);
+	if (!first_ft || first_ft->level > ft->level) {
 		err = connect_prev_fts(dev, ft, prio);
 		if (err)
 			return err;
 
-		next_ft = find_next_chained_ft(prio);
+		next_ft = first_ft ? first_ft : find_next_chained_ft(prio);
 		err = connect_fwd_rules(dev, ft, next_ft);
 		if (err)
 			return err;
@@ -2026,7 +2028,7 @@ static int disconnect_flow_table(struct mlx5_flow_table *ft)
 				node.list) == ft))
 		return 0;
 
-	next_ft = find_next_chained_ft(prio);
+	next_ft = find_next_ft(ft);
 	err = connect_fwd_rules(dev, next_ft, ft);
 	if (err)
 		return err;