diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
index 704f892b321f..9b32a9c0f497 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_tc.c
@@ -1626,8 +1626,11 @@ static void __mlx5e_tc_del_fdb_peer_flow(struct mlx5e_tc_flow *flow)
 
 	flow_flag_clear(flow, DUP);
 
-	mlx5e_tc_del_fdb_flow(flow->peer_flow->priv, flow->peer_flow);
-	kfree(flow->peer_flow);
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&flow->peer_flow->refcnt)) {
+		mlx5e_tc_del_fdb_flow(flow->peer_flow->priv, flow->peer_flow);
+		kfree(flow->peer_flow);
+	}
+
 	flow->peer_flow = NULL;
 }