diff --git a/net/netfilter/x_tables.c b/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
index 8fa4d37141a7..2f685ee1f9c8 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/x_tables.c
@@ -1008,7 +1008,12 @@ struct xt_table_info *xt_alloc_table_info(unsigned int size)
 	if ((size >> PAGE_SHIFT) + 2 > totalram_pages)
 		return NULL;
 
-	info = kvmalloc(sz, GFP_KERNEL);
+	/* __GFP_NORETRY is not fully supported by kvmalloc but it should
+	 * work reasonably well if sz is too large and bail out rather
+	 * than shoot all processes down before realizing there is nothing
+	 * more to reclaim.
+	 */
+	info = kvmalloc(sz, GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_NORETRY);
 	if (!info)
 		return NULL;