diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_cong.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_cong.c
index 8e83ef81fc18..e3f462f161dd 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_cong.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_cong.c
@@ -288,12 +288,12 @@ int tcp_set_default_congestion_control(struct net *net, const char *name)
 	ca = tcp_ca_find_autoload(name);
 	if (!ca) {
 		ret = -ENOENT;
-	} else if (!bpf_try_module_get(ca, ca->owner)) {
-		ret = -EBUSY;
 	} else if (!net_eq(net, &init_net) &&
 			!(ca->flags & TCP_CONG_NON_RESTRICTED)) {
 		/* Only init netns can set default to a restricted algorithm */
 		ret = -EPERM;
+	} else if (!bpf_try_module_get(ca, ca->owner)) {
+		ret = -EBUSY;
 	} else {
 		prev = xchg(&net->ipv4.tcp_congestion_control, ca);
 		if (prev)