diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
index 217225e13faf7..19ea4d3c35535 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
@@ -563,23 +563,37 @@ static void nft_rbtree_gc(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct nft_rbtree *priv;
 	struct rb_node *node;
 	struct nft_set *set;
+	struct net *net;
+	u8 genmask;
 
 	priv = container_of(work, struct nft_rbtree, gc_work.work);
 	set  = nft_set_container_of(priv);
+	net  = read_pnet(&set->net);
+	genmask = nft_genmask_cur(net);
 
 	write_lock_bh(&priv->lock);
 	write_seqcount_begin(&priv->count);
 	for (node = rb_first(&priv->root); node != NULL; node = rb_next(node)) {
 		rbe = rb_entry(node, struct nft_rbtree_elem, node);
 
+		if (!nft_set_elem_active(&rbe->ext, genmask))
+			continue;
+
+		/* elements are reversed in the rbtree for historical reasons,
+		 * from highest to lowest value, that is why end element is
+		 * always visited before the start element.
+		 */
 		if (nft_rbtree_interval_end(rbe)) {
 			rbe_end = rbe;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!nft_set_elem_expired(&rbe->ext))
 			continue;
-		if (nft_set_elem_mark_busy(&rbe->ext))
+
+		if (nft_set_elem_mark_busy(&rbe->ext)) {
+			rbe_end = NULL;
 			continue;
+		}
 
 		if (rbe_prev) {
 			rb_erase(&rbe_prev->node, &priv->root);