diff --git a/net/sched/cls_flower.c b/net/sched/cls_flower.c
index ac4f344c52e0..9dbc43388e57 100644
--- a/net/sched/cls_flower.c
+++ b/net/sched/cls_flower.c
@@ -2339,7 +2339,8 @@ errout_hw:
 errout_mask:
 	fl_mask_put(head, fnew->mask);
 errout_idr:
-	idr_remove(&head->handle_idr, fnew->handle);
+	if (!fold)
+		idr_remove(&head->handle_idr, fnew->handle);
 	__fl_put(fnew);
 errout_tb:
 	kfree(tb);