diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
index 3d277aa869dd..d5d2efddba57 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -945,9 +945,11 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct nfattr *cda[],
 	ct->timeout.expires = jiffies + ct->timeout.expires * HZ;
 	ct->status |= IPS_CONFIRMED;
 
-	err = ctnetlink_change_status(ct, cda);
-	if (err < 0)
-		goto err;
+	if (cda[CTA_STATUS-1]) {
+		err = ctnetlink_change_status(ct, cda);
+		if (err < 0)
+			goto err;
+	}
 
 	if (cda[CTA_PROTOINFO-1]) {
 		err = ctnetlink_change_protoinfo(ct, cda);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 7357b8f47acd..ba77183be2f3 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -963,9 +963,11 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct nfattr *cda[],
 	ct->timeout.expires = jiffies + ct->timeout.expires * HZ;
 	ct->status |= IPS_CONFIRMED;
 
-	err = ctnetlink_change_status(ct, cda);
-	if (err < 0)
-		goto err;
+	if (cda[CTA_STATUS-1]) {
+		err = ctnetlink_change_status(ct, cda);
+		if (err < 0)
+			goto err;
+	}
 
 	if (cda[CTA_PROTOINFO-1]) {
 		err = ctnetlink_change_protoinfo(ct, cda);