diff --git a/net/sched/act_api.c b/net/sched/act_api.c
index 88e14cfeb5d5..28cd4995b69f 100644
--- a/net/sched/act_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/act_api.c
@@ -1029,6 +1029,9 @@ struct tc_action *tcf_action_init_1(struct net *net, struct tcf_proto *tp,
 	if (!name)
 		a->hw_stats = hw_stats;
 
+	if (!bind && ovr && err == ACT_P_CREATED)
+		refcount_set(&a->tcfa_refcnt, 2);
+
 	return a;
 
 err_out: