diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
index a576bcbba2fcc..6a6fcd10d3185 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
@@ -1462,4 +1462,6 @@ void nft_chain_filter_fini(void);
 
 void __init nft_chain_route_init(void);
 void nft_chain_route_fini(void);
+
+void nf_tables_trans_destroy_flush_work(void);
 #endif /* _NET_NF_TABLES_H */
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 459b7c0547115..7753d6f1467c9 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -6605,6 +6605,12 @@ static void nf_tables_trans_destroy_work(struct work_struct *w)
 	}
 }
 
+void nf_tables_trans_destroy_flush_work(void)
+{
+	flush_work(&trans_destroy_work);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_tables_trans_destroy_flush_work);
+
 static int nf_tables_commit_chain_prepare(struct net *net, struct nft_chain *chain)
 {
 	struct nft_rule *rule;
@@ -6776,9 +6782,9 @@ static void nf_tables_commit_release(struct net *net)
 	spin_unlock(&nf_tables_destroy_list_lock);
 
 	nf_tables_module_autoload_cleanup(net);
-	mutex_unlock(&net->nft.commit_mutex);
-
 	schedule_work(&trans_destroy_work);
+
+	mutex_unlock(&net->nft.commit_mutex);
 }
 
 static int nf_tables_commit(struct net *net, struct sk_buff *skb)
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c b/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
index f9adca62ccb3d..0e3e0ff805812 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_compat.c
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ struct nft_xt_match_priv {
 	void *info;
 };
 
+static refcount_t nft_compat_pending_destroy = REFCOUNT_INIT(1);
+
 static int nft_compat_chain_validate_dependency(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 						const char *tablename)
 {
@@ -236,6 +238,15 @@ nft_target_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr,
 
 	nft_target_set_tgchk_param(&par, ctx, target, info, &e, proto, inv);
 
+	/* xtables matches or targets can have side effects, e.g.
+	 * creation/destruction of /proc files.
+	 * The xt ->destroy functions are run asynchronously from
+	 * work queue.  If we have pending invocations we thus
+	 * need to wait for those to finish.
+	 */
+	if (refcount_read(&nft_compat_pending_destroy) > 1)
+		nf_tables_trans_destroy_flush_work();
+
 	ret = xt_check_target(&par, size, proto, inv);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
@@ -247,6 +258,13 @@ nft_target_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void __nft_mt_tg_destroy(struct module *me, const struct nft_expr *expr)
+{
+	refcount_dec(&nft_compat_pending_destroy);
+	module_put(me);
+	kfree(expr->ops);
+}
+
 static void
 nft_target_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr)
 {
@@ -262,8 +280,7 @@ nft_target_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr)
 	if (par.target->destroy != NULL)
 		par.target->destroy(&par);
 
-	module_put(me);
-	kfree(expr->ops);
+	__nft_mt_tg_destroy(me, expr);
 }
 
 static int nft_extension_dump_info(struct sk_buff *skb, int attr,
@@ -494,8 +511,7 @@ __nft_match_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr,
 	if (par.match->destroy != NULL)
 		par.match->destroy(&par);
 
-	module_put(me);
-	kfree(expr->ops);
+	__nft_mt_tg_destroy(me, expr);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -700,6 +716,14 @@ static const struct nfnetlink_subsystem nfnl_compat_subsys = {
 
 static struct nft_expr_type nft_match_type;
 
+static void nft_mt_tg_deactivate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
+				 const struct nft_expr *expr,
+				 enum nft_trans_phase phase)
+{
+	if (phase == NFT_TRANS_COMMIT)
+		refcount_inc(&nft_compat_pending_destroy);
+}
+
 static const struct nft_expr_ops *
 nft_match_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 		     const struct nlattr * const tb[])
@@ -738,6 +762,7 @@ nft_match_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	ops->type = &nft_match_type;
 	ops->eval = nft_match_eval;
 	ops->init = nft_match_init;
+	ops->deactivate = nft_mt_tg_deactivate,
 	ops->destroy = nft_match_destroy;
 	ops->dump = nft_match_dump;
 	ops->validate = nft_match_validate;
@@ -828,6 +853,7 @@ nft_target_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	ops->size = NFT_EXPR_SIZE(XT_ALIGN(target->targetsize));
 	ops->init = nft_target_init;
 	ops->destroy = nft_target_destroy;
+	ops->deactivate = nft_mt_tg_deactivate,
 	ops->dump = nft_target_dump;
 	ops->validate = nft_target_validate;
 	ops->data = target;
@@ -891,6 +917,8 @@ static void __exit nft_compat_module_exit(void)
 	nfnetlink_subsys_unregister(&nfnl_compat_subsys);
 	nft_unregister_expr(&nft_target_type);
 	nft_unregister_expr(&nft_match_type);
+
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(refcount_read(&nft_compat_pending_destroy) != 1);
 }
 
 MODULE_ALIAS_NFNL_SUBSYS(NFNL_SUBSYS_NFT_COMPAT);