diff --git a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
index 1b940512d87b..b669db564695 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
@@ -858,6 +858,9 @@ nfulnl_recv_config(struct sock *ctnl, struct sk_buff *skb,
 			ret = -EINVAL;
 			break;
 		}
+
+		if (!inst)
+			goto out;
 	} else {
 		if (!inst) {
 			UDEBUG("no config command, and no instance for "
@@ -911,6 +914,7 @@ nfulnl_recv_config(struct sock *ctnl, struct sk_buff *skb,
 
 out_put:
 	instance_put(inst);
+out:
 	return ret;
 }