diff --git a/net/sched/sch_hfsc.c b/net/sched/sch_hfsc.c
index e87f5021a199..284490fd6ca9 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_hfsc.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_hfsc.c
@@ -386,6 +386,15 @@ cftree_update(struct hfsc_class *cl)
 #define	SM_MASK		((1ULL << SM_SHIFT) - 1)
 #define	ISM_MASK	((1ULL << ISM_SHIFT) - 1)
 
+/*
+ * Cap on the non-descending hops a classify walk may take before its
+ * filter chain is treated as misconfigured. A flowid binding that was
+ * legal at bind time can become lateral once hfsc_adjust_levels()
+ * raises a class level; a few such hops are legitimate, an unbounded
+ * run means the chain cycles.
+ */
+#define	HFSC_CLASSIFY_MAX_DRIFT	8
+
 static inline u64
 seg_x2y(u64 x, u64 sm)
 {
@@ -1133,6 +1142,7 @@ hfsc_classify(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch, int *qerr)
 	struct hfsc_class *head, *cl;
 	struct tcf_result res;
 	struct tcf_proto *tcf;
+	unsigned int drift;
 	int result;
 
 	if (TC_H_MAJ(skb->priority ^ sch->handle) == 0 &&
@@ -1142,6 +1152,7 @@ hfsc_classify(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch, int *qerr)
 
 	*qerr = NET_XMIT_SUCCESS | __NET_XMIT_BYPASS;
 	head = &q->root;
+	drift = HFSC_CLASSIFY_MAX_DRIFT;
 	tcf = rcu_dereference_bh(q->root.filter_list);
 	while (tcf && (result = tcf_classify_qdisc(skb, tcf, &res, false)) >= 0) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_CLS_ACT
@@ -1167,6 +1178,17 @@ hfsc_classify(struct sk_buff *skb, struct Qdisc *sch, int *qerr)
 		if (cl->level == 0)
 			return cl; /* hit leaf class */
 
+		/*
+		 * flowid binds skip the level check above (res.class is set
+		 * at bind time and levels drift after), so a walk can follow
+		 * lateral hops without descending; a bounded number of them
+		 * is legal, more means the chain cycles.
+		 */
+		if (cl->level >= head->level && drift-- == 0) {
+			pr_warn_ratelimited("hfsc: classify hop budget exhausted, dropping packet\n");
+			return NULL;
+		}
+
 		/* apply inner filter chain */
 		tcf = rcu_dereference_bh(cl->filter_list);
 		head = cl;