diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
index 29fa08b3ab82..f2e75a54408b 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
@@ -1428,6 +1428,9 @@ void nf_ct_iterate_cleanup(struct net *net,
 
 	might_sleep();
 
+	if (atomic_read(&net->ct.count) == 0)
+		return;
+
 	while ((ct = get_next_corpse(net, iter, data, &bucket)) != NULL) {
 		/* Time to push up daises... */
 		if (del_timer(&ct->timeout))