diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
index 30d5b7f52a2a..25f9185d5a15 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fs_core.c
@@ -1768,11 +1768,13 @@ skip_search:
 	list_for_each_entry(iter, match_head, list) {
 		g = iter->g;
 
-		if (!g->node.active)
-			continue;
-
 		nested_down_write_ref_node(&g->node, FS_LOCK_PARENT);
 
+		if (!g->node.active) {
+			up_write_ref_node(&g->node, false);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		err = insert_fte(g, fte);
 		if (err) {
 			up_write_ref_node(&g->node, false);