diff --git a/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c b/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
index c56c61b0c12e..423d1eb24f31 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
+++ b/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
@@ -1237,6 +1237,17 @@ xfrm_policy_inexact_insert(struct xfrm_policy *policy, u8 dir, int excl)
 	return delpol;
 }
 
+static bool xfrm_policy_is_dead_or_sk(const struct xfrm_policy *policy)
+{
+	int dir;
+
+	if (policy->walk.dead)
+		return true;
+
+	dir = xfrm_policy_id2dir(policy->index);
+	return dir >= XFRM_POLICY_MAX;
+}
+
 static void xfrm_hash_rebuild(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct net *net = container_of(work, struct net,
@@ -1524,7 +1535,6 @@ static void xfrm_policy_insert_inexact_list(struct hlist_head *chain,
 {
 	struct xfrm_policy *pol, *delpol = NULL;
 	struct hlist_node *newpos = NULL;
-	int i = 0;
 
 	hlist_for_each_entry(pol, chain, bydst_inexact_list) {
 		if (pol->type == policy->type &&
@@ -1548,11 +1558,6 @@ static void xfrm_policy_insert_inexact_list(struct hlist_head *chain,
 		hlist_add_behind_rcu(&policy->bydst_inexact_list, newpos);
 	else
 		hlist_add_head_rcu(&policy->bydst_inexact_list, chain);
-
-	hlist_for_each_entry(pol, chain, bydst_inexact_list) {
-		pol->pos = i;
-		i++;
-	}
 }
 
 static struct xfrm_policy *xfrm_policy_insert_list(struct hlist_head *chain,
@@ -2294,10 +2299,52 @@ out:
 	return pol;
 }
 
+static u32 xfrm_gen_pos_slow(struct net *net)
+{
+	struct xfrm_policy *policy;
+	u32 i = 0;
+
+	/* oldest entry is last in list */
+	list_for_each_entry_reverse(policy, &net->xfrm.policy_all, walk.all) {
+		if (!xfrm_policy_is_dead_or_sk(policy))
+			policy->pos = ++i;
+	}
+
+	return i;
+}
+
+static u32 xfrm_gen_pos(struct net *net)
+{
+	const struct xfrm_policy *policy;
+	u32 i = 0;
+
+	/* most recently added policy is at the head of the list */
+	list_for_each_entry(policy, &net->xfrm.policy_all, walk.all) {
+		if (xfrm_policy_is_dead_or_sk(policy))
+			continue;
+
+		if (policy->pos == UINT_MAX)
+			return xfrm_gen_pos_slow(net);
+
+		i = policy->pos + 1;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return i;
+}
+
 static void __xfrm_policy_link(struct xfrm_policy *pol, int dir)
 {
 	struct net *net = xp_net(pol);
 
+	switch (dir) {
+	case XFRM_POLICY_IN:
+	case XFRM_POLICY_FWD:
+	case XFRM_POLICY_OUT:
+		pol->pos = xfrm_gen_pos(net);
+		break;
+	}
+
 	list_add(&pol->walk.all, &net->xfrm.policy_all);
 	net->xfrm.policy_count[dir]++;
 	xfrm_pol_hold(pol);