diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 783af451a832..bc6f0c8874f8 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ static int ctnetlink_dump_helpinfo(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	if (!help)
 		return 0;
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	helper = rcu_dereference(help->helper);
 	if (!helper)
 		goto out;
@@ -226,9 +227,11 @@ static int ctnetlink_dump_helpinfo(struct sk_buff *skb,
 
 	nla_nest_end(skb, nest_helper);
 out:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return 0;
 
 nla_put_failure:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return -1;
 }