diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_queue.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_queue.h
index 47088083667b..cdbd98730852 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_queue.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_queue.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void nf_unregister_queue_handler(struct net *net);
 void nf_reinject(struct nf_queue_entry *entry, unsigned int verdict);
 
 void nf_queue_entry_get_refs(struct nf_queue_entry *entry);
-void nf_queue_entry_release_refs(struct nf_queue_entry *entry);
+void nf_queue_entry_free(struct nf_queue_entry *entry);
 
 static inline void init_hashrandom(u32 *jhash_initval)
 {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_queue.c b/net/netfilter/nf_queue.c
index f8f52ff99cfb..4da5776a9904 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_queue.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_queue.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static void nf_queue_entry_release_br_nf_refs(struct sk_buff *skb)
 #endif
 }
 
-void nf_queue_entry_release_refs(struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
+static void nf_queue_entry_release_refs(struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
 {
 	struct nf_hook_state *state = &entry->state;
 
@@ -78,7 +78,13 @@ void nf_queue_entry_release_refs(struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
 
 	nf_queue_entry_release_br_nf_refs(entry->skb);
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_queue_entry_release_refs);
+
+void nf_queue_entry_free(struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
+{
+	nf_queue_entry_release_refs(entry);
+	kfree(entry);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_queue_entry_free);
 
 static void nf_queue_entry_get_br_nf_refs(struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
index 76535fd9278c..3243a31f6e82 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_queue.c
@@ -737,12 +737,6 @@ static void nf_bridge_adjust_segmented_data(struct sk_buff *skb)
 #define nf_bridge_adjust_segmented_data(s) do {} while (0)
 #endif
 
-static void free_entry(struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
-{
-	nf_queue_entry_release_refs(entry);
-	kfree(entry);
-}
-
 static int
 __nfqnl_enqueue_packet_gso(struct net *net, struct nfqnl_instance *queue,
 			   struct sk_buff *skb, struct nf_queue_entry *entry)
@@ -768,7 +762,7 @@ __nfqnl_enqueue_packet_gso(struct net *net, struct nfqnl_instance *queue,
 		entry_seg->skb = skb;
 		ret = __nfqnl_enqueue_packet(net, queue, entry_seg);
 		if (ret)
-			free_entry(entry_seg);
+			nf_queue_entry_free(entry_seg);
 	}
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -827,7 +821,7 @@ nfqnl_enqueue_packet(struct nf_queue_entry *entry, unsigned int queuenum)
 
 	if (queued) {
 		if (err) /* some segments are already queued */
-			free_entry(entry);
+			nf_queue_entry_free(entry);
 		kfree_skb(skb);
 		return 0;
 	}