diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l4proto.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l4proto.h
index 5dd60f2d02a1..08bb571b7abd 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l4proto.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l4proto.h
@@ -124,6 +124,14 @@ extern int nf_conntrack_l4proto_register(struct net *net,
 extern void nf_conntrack_l4proto_unregister(struct net *net,
 					    struct nf_conntrack_l4proto *proto);
 
+static inline void nf_ct_kfree_compat_sysctl_table(struct nf_proto_net *pn)
+{
+#if defined(CONFIG_SYSCTL) && defined(CONFIG_NF_CONNTRACK_PROC_COMPAT)
+	kfree(pn->ctl_compat_table);
+	pn->ctl_compat_table = NULL;
+#endif
+}
+
 /* Generic netlink helpers */
 extern int nf_ct_port_tuple_to_nlattr(struct sk_buff *skb,
 				      const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
index 6f4b6f3deee5..9d6b6ab193a9 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
@@ -361,8 +361,7 @@ int nf_ct_l4proto_register_sysctl(struct net *net,
 		if (err == 0)
 			goto out;
 
-		kfree(pn->ctl_compat_table);
-		pn->ctl_compat_table = NULL;
+		nf_ct_kfree_compat_sysctl_table(pn);
 		nf_ct_unregister_sysctl(&pn->ctl_table_header,
 					&pn->ctl_table,
 					&pn->users);