diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 579ada063b1b..4e5d7c701436 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -3392,7 +3392,8 @@ static bool expect_iter_name(struct nf_conntrack_expect *exp, void *data)
 	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 	const char *name = data;
 
-	helper = rcu_dereference(exp->helper);
+	helper = rcu_dereference_protected(exp->helper,
+					   lockdep_is_held(&nf_conntrack_expect_lock));
 	if (!helper)
 		return false;