diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
index fb0e65411785..5e35643da650 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ nfnetlink_parse_nat_setup(struct nf_conn *ct,
 
 	/* No NAT information has been passed, allocate the null-binding */
 	if (attr == NULL)
-		return __nf_nat_alloc_null_binding(ct, manip);
+		return __nf_nat_alloc_null_binding(ct, manip) == NF_DROP ? -ENOMEM : 0;
 
 	err = nfnetlink_parse_nat(attr, ct, &range, l3proto);
 	if (err < 0)