diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_core.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_core.c
index 14af55cad5d6..63bf88264980 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_core.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_core.c
@@ -1107,6 +1107,9 @@ void ip_conntrack_cleanup(void)
 		schedule();
 		goto i_see_dead_people;
 	}
+	/* wait until all references to ip_conntrack_untracked are dropped */
+	while (atomic_read(&ip_conntrack_untracked.ct_general.use) > 1)
+		schedule();
 
 	kmem_cache_destroy(ip_conntrack_cachep);
 	kmem_cache_destroy(ip_conntrack_expect_cachep);