diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/ipsec_fs.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/ipsec_fs.c
index 3cfe743610d3..ab50d2c734ed 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/ipsec_fs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/ipsec_fs.c
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ static int mlx5_esw_ipsec_modify_flow_dests(struct mlx5_eswitch *esw,
 
 	attr = flow->attr;
 	esw_attr = attr->esw_attr;
-	if (esw_attr->out_count - esw_attr->split_count > 1)
+	if (!esw_attr->out_count ||
+	    esw_attr->out_count - esw_attr->split_count > 1)
 		return 0;
 
 	err = mlx5_eswitch_restore_ipsec_rule(esw, flow->rule[0], esw_attr,