diff --git a/include/net/pkt_cls.h b/include/net/pkt_cls.h
index 2c213a69c196..f7762295b7b8 100644
--- a/include/net/pkt_cls.h
+++ b/include/net/pkt_cls.h
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ int register_tcf_proto_ops(struct tcf_proto_ops *ops);
 int unregister_tcf_proto_ops(struct tcf_proto_ops *ops);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_CLS
-struct tcf_chain *tcf_chain_get(struct tcf_block *block, u32 chain_index);
+struct tcf_chain *tcf_chain_get(struct tcf_block *block, u32 chain_index,
+				bool create);
 void tcf_chain_put(struct tcf_chain *chain);
 int tcf_block_get(struct tcf_block **p_block,
 		  struct tcf_proto __rcu **p_filter_chain);
diff --git a/net/sched/act_api.c b/net/sched/act_api.c
index 0ecf2a858767..aed6cf2e9fd8 100644
--- a/net/sched/act_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/act_api.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static int tcf_action_goto_chain_init(struct tc_action *a, struct tcf_proto *tp)
 
 	if (!tp)
 		return -EINVAL;
-	a->goto_chain = tcf_chain_get(tp->chain->block, chain_index);
+	a->goto_chain = tcf_chain_get(tp->chain->block, chain_index, true);
 	if (!a->goto_chain)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	return 0;
diff --git a/net/sched/cls_api.c b/net/sched/cls_api.c
index 89fbb35bc666..39da0c5801c9 100644
--- a/net/sched/cls_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/cls_api.c
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@ static void tcf_chain_destroy(struct tcf_chain *chain)
 	kfree(chain);
 }
 
-struct tcf_chain *tcf_chain_get(struct tcf_block *block, u32 chain_index)
+struct tcf_chain *tcf_chain_get(struct tcf_block *block, u32 chain_index,
+				bool create)
 {
 	struct tcf_chain *chain;
 
@@ -230,7 +231,10 @@ struct tcf_chain *tcf_chain_get(struct tcf_block *block, u32 chain_index)
 			return chain;
 		}
 	}
-	return tcf_chain_create(block, chain_index);
+	if (create)
+		return tcf_chain_create(block, chain_index);
+	else
+		return NULL;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(tcf_chain_get);
 
@@ -511,9 +515,10 @@ replay:
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto errout;
 	}
-	chain = tcf_chain_get(block, chain_index);
+	chain = tcf_chain_get(block, chain_index,
+			      n->nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWTFILTER);
 	if (!chain) {
-		err = -ENOMEM;
+		err = n->nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWTFILTER ? -ENOMEM : -EINVAL;
 		goto errout;
 	}