diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c
index e56a94dff34e..d0f168c2670f 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c
@@ -98,21 +98,23 @@ static noinline void nft_update_chain_stats(const struct nft_chain *chain,
 					    const struct nft_pktinfo *pkt)
 {
 	struct nft_base_chain *base_chain;
+	struct nft_stats __percpu *pstats;
 	struct nft_stats *stats;
 
 	base_chain = nft_base_chain(chain);
-	if (!rcu_access_pointer(base_chain->stats))
-		return;
 
-	local_bh_disable();
-	stats = this_cpu_ptr(rcu_dereference(base_chain->stats));
-	if (stats) {
+	rcu_read_lock();
+	pstats = READ_ONCE(base_chain->stats);
+	if (pstats) {
+		local_bh_disable();
+		stats = this_cpu_ptr(pstats);
 		u64_stats_update_begin(&stats->syncp);
 		stats->pkts++;
 		stats->bytes += pkt->skb->len;
 		u64_stats_update_end(&stats->syncp);
+		local_bh_enable();
 	}
-	local_bh_enable();
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 }
 
 struct nft_jumpstack {