diff --git a/net/bridge/br_device.c b/net/bridge/br_device.c
index 32211fa5b506..070e8a68cfc6 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br_device.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br_device.c
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ netdev_tx_t br_dev_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	struct net_bridge_mdb_entry *mdst;
 	struct br_cpu_netstats *brstats = this_cpu_ptr(br->stats);
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 #ifdef CONFIG_BRIDGE_NETFILTER
 	if (skb->nf_bridge && (skb->nf_bridge->mask & BRNF_BRIDGED_DNAT)) {
 		br_nf_pre_routing_finish_bridge_slow(skb);
+		rcu_read_unlock();
 		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 	}
 #endif
@@ -48,7 +50,6 @@ netdev_tx_t br_dev_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	skb_reset_mac_header(skb);
 	skb_pull(skb, ETH_HLEN);
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	if (is_broadcast_ether_addr(dest))
 		br_flood_deliver(br, skb);
 	else if (is_multicast_ether_addr(dest)) {