diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index 9b4e29557..d2ce1cc1a 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -3390,7 +3390,14 @@ static bool expect_iter_name(struct nf_conntrack_expect *exp, void *data)
 	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 	const char *name = data;
 
-	helper = rcu_dereference(exp->helper);
+	/*
+	 * This runs from nf_ct_expect_iterate_net() with the
+	 * nf_conntrack_expect_lock held.  A helper is only released after all
+	 * expectations referring to it have been unlinked under that same lock,
+	 * so the lock (not an RCU read-side section) keeps exp->helper valid.
+	 */
+	helper = rcu_dereference_protected(exp->helper,
+					   lockdep_is_held(&nf_conntrack_expect_lock));
 	if (!helper)
 		return false;