diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
index f418541af7cf1..384b560f2a932 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
@@ -1726,6 +1726,8 @@ _mlx5_add_flow_rules(struct mlx5_flow_table *ft,
 	if (err) {
 		if (take_write)
 			up_write_ref_node(&ft->node);
+		else
+			up_read_ref_node(&ft->node);
 		return ERR_PTR(err);
 	}