diff --git a/include/nl-aux-route/nl-route.h b/include/nl-aux-route/nl-route.h
index a0193d2b..9c85337a 100644
--- a/include/nl-aux-route/nl-route.h
+++ b/include/nl-aux-route/nl-route.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 #include "base/nl-base-utils.h"
 
+#include <netlink/route/action.h>
+
 struct rtnl_link;
 void rtnl_link_put(struct rtnl_link *);
 #define _nl_auto_rtnl_link _nl_auto(_nl_auto_rtnl_link_fcn)
@@ -40,13 +42,10 @@ void rtnl_link_af_ops_put(struct rtnl_link_af_ops *);
 _NL_AUTO_DEFINE_FCN_TYPED0(struct rtnl_link_af_ops *,
 			   _nl_auto_rtnl_link_af_ops_fcn, rtnl_link_af_ops_put);
 
-struct rtnl_act;
-void rtnl_act_put(struct rtnl_act *);
 #define _nl_auto_rtnl_act _nl_auto(_nl_auto_rtnl_act_fcn)
 _NL_AUTO_DEFINE_FCN_TYPED0(struct rtnl_act *, _nl_auto_rtnl_act_fcn,
 			   rtnl_act_put);
 
-void rtnl_act_put_all(struct rtnl_act **head);
 #define _nl_auto_rtnl_act_all _nl_auto(_nl_auto_rtnl_act_fcn_all)
 _NL_AUTO_DEFINE_FCN_INDIRECT0(struct rtnl_act *, _nl_auto_rtnl_act_fcn_all,
 			      rtnl_act_put_all);
@@ -64,4 +63,28 @@ void rtnl_cls_put(struct rtnl_cls *);
 _NL_AUTO_DEFINE_FCN_TYPED0(struct rtnl_cls *, _nl_auto_rtnl_cls_fcn,
 			   rtnl_cls_put);
 
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+static inline int _rtnl_act_append_get(struct rtnl_act **head,
+				       struct rtnl_act *new)
+{
+	int r;
+
+	r = rtnl_act_append(head, new);
+	if (r >= 0)
+		rtnl_act_get(new);
+	return r;
+}
+
+static inline int _rtnl_act_append_take(struct rtnl_act **head,
+					struct rtnl_act *new)
+{
+	int r;
+
+	r = rtnl_act_append(head, new);
+	if (r < 0)
+		rtnl_act_put(new);
+	return r;
+}
+
 #endif /* __NETLINK_NL_AUX_ROUTE_NL_ROUTE_H__ */
diff --git a/lib/route/act.c b/lib/route/act.c
index 2129bd00..670810fa 100644
--- a/lib/route/act.c
+++ b/lib/route/act.c
@@ -493,11 +493,9 @@ int rtnl_act_parse(struct rtnl_act **head, struct nlattr *tb)
 			if (err < 0)
 				return err;
 		}
-		err = rtnl_act_append(&tmp_head, act);
+		err = _rtnl_act_append_take(&tmp_head, _nl_steal_pointer(&act));
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
-
-		_nl_steal_pointer(&act);
 	}
 
 	*head = _nl_steal_pointer(&tmp_head);
diff --git a/lib/route/cls/basic.c b/lib/route/cls/basic.c
index ed83ca1c..dc19256b 100644
--- a/lib/route/cls/basic.c
+++ b/lib/route/cls/basic.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <netlink/route/cls/ematch.h>
 
 #include "tc-api.h"
+#include "nl-aux-route/nl-route.h"
 
 struct rtnl_basic
 {
@@ -223,12 +224,10 @@ int rtnl_basic_add_action(struct rtnl_cls *cls, struct rtnl_act *act)
 	if (!(b = rtnl_tc_data(TC_CAST(cls))))
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;
 
-	b->b_mask |= BASIC_ATTR_ACTION;
-	if ((err = rtnl_act_append(&b->b_act, act)))
+	if ((err = _rtnl_act_append_get(&b->b_act, act)) < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	/* In case user frees it */
-	rtnl_act_get(act);
+	b->b_mask |= BASIC_ATTR_ACTION;
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/route/cls/flower.c b/lib/route/cls/flower.c
index ad86ce98..56f24c3e 100644
--- a/lib/route/cls/flower.c
+++ b/lib/route/cls/flower.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <netlink/route/cls/flower.h>
 
 #include "tc-api.h"
+#include "nl-aux-route/nl-route.h"
 
 /** @cond SKIP */
 struct rtnl_flower {
@@ -817,12 +818,10 @@ int rtnl_flower_append_action(struct rtnl_cls *cls, struct rtnl_act *act)
 	if (!(f = rtnl_tc_data(TC_CAST(cls))))
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;
 
-	f->cf_mask |= FLOWER_ATTR_ACTION;
-
-	if ((err = rtnl_act_append(&f->cf_act, act)) < 0)
+	if ((err = _rtnl_act_append_get(&f->cf_act, act)) < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	rtnl_act_get(act);
+	f->cf_mask |= FLOWER_ATTR_ACTION;
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/route/cls/mall.c b/lib/route/cls/mall.c
index 04ec58a2..030eaa81 100644
--- a/lib/route/cls/mall.c
+++ b/lib/route/cls/mall.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <netlink/route/action.h>
 
 #include "tc-api.h"
+#include "nl-aux-route/nl-route.h"
 
 struct rtnl_mall {
 	uint32_t m_classid;
@@ -107,12 +108,10 @@ int rtnl_mall_append_action(struct rtnl_cls *cls, struct rtnl_act *act)
 	if (!(mall = rtnl_tc_data(TC_CAST(cls))))
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;
 
-	mall->m_mask |= MALL_ATTR_ACTION;
-	err = rtnl_act_append(&mall->m_act, act);
-	if (err < 0)
-	        return err;
+	if ((err = _rtnl_act_append_get(&mall->m_act, act)) < 0)
+		return err;
 
-	rtnl_act_get(act);
+	mall->m_mask |= MALL_ATTR_ACTION;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -245,7 +244,7 @@ static int mall_clone(void *_dst, void *_src)
 			if (!new)
 				return -NLE_NOMEM;
 
-			err = rtnl_act_append(&dst->m_act, new);
+			err = _rtnl_act_append_take(&dst->m_act, new);
 			if (err < 0)
 				return err;
 
diff --git a/lib/route/cls/u32.c b/lib/route/cls/u32.c
index ab8b9774..52f6e31c 100644
--- a/lib/route/cls/u32.c
+++ b/lib/route/cls/u32.c
@@ -612,12 +612,10 @@ int rtnl_u32_add_action(struct rtnl_cls *cls, struct rtnl_act *act)
 	if (!(u = rtnl_tc_data(TC_CAST(cls))))
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;
 
-	u->cu_mask |= U32_ATTR_ACTION;
-	if ((err = rtnl_act_append(&u->cu_act, act)))
+	if ((err = _rtnl_act_append_get(&u->cu_act, act)) < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	/* In case user frees it */
-	rtnl_act_get(act);
+	u->cu_mask |= U32_ATTR_ACTION;
 	return 0;
 }