diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index ed09b1fdda16..d7a628e2c249 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -7313,6 +7313,9 @@ static int nf_tables_newobj(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct nfnl_info *info,
 		if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!type))
 			return -ENOENT;
 
+		if (!obj->ops->update)
+			return 0;
+
 		nft_ctx_init(&ctx, net, skb, info->nlh, family, table, NULL, nla);
 
 		return nf_tables_updobj(&ctx, type, nla[NFTA_OBJ_DATA], obj);
@@ -8972,9 +8975,10 @@ static void nft_obj_commit_update(struct nft_trans *trans)
 	obj = nft_trans_obj(trans);
 	newobj = nft_trans_obj_newobj(trans);
 
-	if (obj->ops->update)
-		obj->ops->update(obj, newobj);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!obj->ops->update))
+		return;
 
+	obj->ops->update(obj, newobj);
 	nft_obj_destroy(&trans->ctx, newobj);
 }