diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
index 69746928cc0a..c6f1cf0bff56 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ static void gc_worker(struct work_struct *work)
 
 static void conntrack_gc_work_init(struct conntrack_gc_work *gc_work)
 {
-	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&gc_work->dwork, gc_worker);
+	INIT_DEFERRABLE_WORK(&gc_work->dwork, gc_worker);
 	gc_work->next_gc_run = HZ;
 	gc_work->exiting = false;
 }