diff --git a/include/net/netlink.h b/include/net/netlink.h
index 0c154f98e987..b318b0a9f6c3 100644
--- a/include/net/netlink.h
+++ b/include/net/netlink.h
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ enum {
 	NLA_S32,
 	NLA_S64,
 	NLA_BITFIELD32,
+	NLA_REJECT,
 	__NLA_TYPE_MAX,
 };
 
@@ -208,9 +209,19 @@ enum {
  *    NLA_MSECS            Leaving the length field zero will verify the
  *                         given type fits, using it verifies minimum length
  *                         just like "All other"
- *    NLA_BITFIELD32      A 32-bit bitmap/bitselector attribute
+ *    NLA_BITFIELD32       Unused
+ *    NLA_REJECT           Unused
  *    All other            Minimum length of attribute payload
  *
+ * Meaning of `validation_data' field:
+ *    NLA_BITFIELD32       This is a 32-bit bitmap/bitselector attribute and
+ *                         validation data must point to a u32 value of valid
+ *                         flags
+ *    NLA_REJECT           This attribute is always rejected and validation data
+ *                         may point to a string to report as the error instead
+ *                         of the generic one in extended ACK.
+ *    All other            Unused
+ *
  * Example:
  * static const struct nla_policy my_policy[ATTR_MAX+1] = {
  * 	[ATTR_FOO] = { .type = NLA_U16 },
diff --git a/lib/nlattr.c b/lib/nlattr.c
index e335bcafa9e4..36d74b079151 100644
--- a/lib/nlattr.c
+++ b/lib/nlattr.c
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ static int validate_nla_bitfield32(const struct nlattr *nla,
 }
 
 static int validate_nla(const struct nlattr *nla, int maxtype,
-			const struct nla_policy *policy)
+			const struct nla_policy *policy,
+			const char **error_msg)
 {
 	const struct nla_policy *pt;
 	int minlen = 0, attrlen = nla_len(nla), type = nla_type(nla);
@@ -87,6 +88,11 @@ static int validate_nla(const struct nlattr *nla, int maxtype,
 	}
 
 	switch (pt->type) {
+	case NLA_REJECT:
+		if (pt->validation_data && error_msg)
+			*error_msg = pt->validation_data;
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	case NLA_FLAG:
 		if (attrlen > 0)
 			return -ERANGE;
@@ -180,11 +186,10 @@ int nla_validate(const struct nlattr *head, int len, int maxtype,
 	int rem;
 
 	nla_for_each_attr(nla, head, len, rem) {
-		int err = validate_nla(nla, maxtype, policy);
+		int err = validate_nla(nla, maxtype, policy, NULL);
 
 		if (err < 0) {
-			if (extack)
-				extack->bad_attr = nla;
+			NL_SET_BAD_ATTR(extack, nla);
 			return err;
 		}
 	}
@@ -250,11 +255,15 @@ int nla_parse(struct nlattr **tb, int maxtype, const struct nlattr *head,
 		u16 type = nla_type(nla);
 
 		if (type > 0 && type <= maxtype) {
+			static const char _msg[] = "Attribute failed policy validation";
+			const char *msg = _msg;
+
 			if (policy) {
-				err = validate_nla(nla, maxtype, policy);
+				err = validate_nla(nla, maxtype, policy, &msg);
 				if (err < 0) {
-					NL_SET_ERR_MSG_ATTR(extack, nla,
-							    "Attribute failed policy validation");
+					NL_SET_BAD_ATTR(extack, nla);
+					if (extack)
+						extack->_msg = msg;
 					goto errout;
 				}
 			}