diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index cf767bc58e18..013d28899cab 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -5140,6 +5140,9 @@ static int nf_tables_updobj(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	struct nft_trans *trans;
 	int err;
 
+	if (!obj->ops->update)
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	trans = nft_trans_alloc(ctx, NFT_MSG_NEWOBJ,
 				sizeof(struct nft_trans_obj));
 	if (!trans)