diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/config b/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/config
index 12ce61fa15a8..979cff56e1f5 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/config
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/config
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ CONFIG_IP_NF_RAW=m
 CONFIG_IP_SCTP=m
 CONFIG_IPV6=y
 CONFIG_IPV6_MULTIPLE_TABLES=y
+CONFIG_IPV6_TUNNEL=m
 CONFIG_IP_VS=m
 CONFIG_IP_VS_PROTO_TCP=y
 CONFIG_IP_VS_RR=m
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/nft_flowtable.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/nft_flowtable.sh
index 14d7f67715ed..7a34ef468975 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/nft_flowtable.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/netfilter/nft_flowtable.sh
@@ -601,14 +601,19 @@ ip -net "$nsr2" link set tun0 up
 ip -net "$nsr2" addr add 192.168.100.2/24 dev tun0
 ip netns exec "$nsr2" sysctl net.ipv4.conf.tun0.forwarding=1 > /dev/null
 
-ip -net "$nsr2" link add name tun6 type ip6tnl local fee1:2::2 remote fee1:2::1
+ip -net "$nsr2" link add name tun6 type ip6tnl local fee1:2::2 remote fee1:2::1 || ret=1
 ip -net "$nsr2" link set tun6 up
 ip -net "$nsr2" addr add fee1:3::2/64 dev tun6 nodad
 
 ip -net "$nsr1" route change default via 192.168.100.2
 ip -net "$nsr2" route change default via 192.168.100.1
-ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route change default via fee1:3::2
-ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route change default via fee1:3::1
+
+# do not use "route change" and delete old default so
+# socat fails to connect in case new default can't be added.
+ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route delete default
+ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route add default via fee1:3::2
+ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route delete default
+ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route add default via fee1:3::1
 ip -net "$ns2" route add default via 10.0.2.1
 ip -6 -net "$ns2" route add default via dead:2::1
 
@@ -649,7 +654,8 @@ ip netns exec "$nsr1" nft -a insert rule inet filter forward 'meta oif tun0.10 a
 ip -net "$nsr1" link add name tun6.10 type ip6tnl local fee1:4::1 remote fee1:4::2
 ip -net "$nsr1" link set tun6.10 up
 ip -net "$nsr1" addr add fee1:5::1/64 dev tun6.10 nodad
-ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route change default via fee1:5::2
+ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route delete default
+ip -6 -net "$nsr1" route add default via fee1:5::2
 ip netns exec "$nsr1" nft -a insert rule inet filter forward 'meta oif tun6.10 accept'
 
 ip -net "$nsr2" link add link veth0 name veth0.10 type vlan id 10
@@ -664,10 +670,11 @@ ip -net "$nsr2" addr add 192.168.200.2/24 dev tun0.10
 ip -net "$nsr2" route change default via 192.168.200.1
 ip netns exec "$nsr2" sysctl net.ipv4.conf.tun0/10.forwarding=1 > /dev/null
 
-ip -net "$nsr2" link add name tun6.10 type ip6tnl local fee1:4::2 remote fee1:4::1
+ip -net "$nsr2" link add name tun6.10 type ip6tnl local fee1:4::2 remote fee1:4::1 || ret=1
 ip -net "$nsr2" link set tun6.10 up
 ip -net "$nsr2" addr add fee1:5::2/64 dev tun6.10 nodad
-ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route change default via fee1:5::1
+ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route delete default
+ip -6 -net "$nsr2" route add default via fee1:5::1
 
 if ! test_tcp_forwarding_nat "$ns1" "$ns2" 1 "IPIP tunnel over vlan"; then
 	echo "FAIL: flow offload for ns1/ns2 with IPIP tunnel over vlan" 1>&2