diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conncount.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conncount.c
index cb33709138df..8acae4a3e4c0 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conncount.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conncount.c
@@ -144,8 +144,10 @@ static bool conn_free(struct nf_conncount_list *list,
 	list->count--;
 	conn->dead = true;
 	list_del_rcu(&conn->node);
-	if (list->count == 0)
+	if (list->count == 0) {
+		list->dead = true;
 		free_entry = true;
+	}
 
 	spin_unlock_bh(&list->list_lock);
 	call_rcu(&conn->rcu_head, __conn_free);
@@ -248,7 +250,7 @@ void nf_conncount_list_init(struct nf_conncount_list *list)
 {
 	spin_lock_init(&list->list_lock);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&list->head);
-	list->count = 1;
+	list->count = 0;
 	list->dead = false;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_conncount_list_init);
@@ -262,6 +264,7 @@ bool nf_conncount_gc_list(struct net *net,
 	struct nf_conn *found_ct;
 	unsigned int collected = 0;
 	bool free_entry = false;
+	bool ret = false;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(conn, conn_n, &list->head, node) {
 		found = find_or_evict(net, list, conn, &free_entry);
@@ -291,7 +294,15 @@ bool nf_conncount_gc_list(struct net *net,
 		if (collected > CONNCOUNT_GC_MAX_NODES)
 			return false;
 	}
-	return false;
+
+	spin_lock_bh(&list->list_lock);
+	if (!list->count) {
+		list->dead = true;
+		ret = true;
+	}
+	spin_unlock_bh(&list->list_lock);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_conncount_gc_list);
 
@@ -417,6 +428,7 @@ insert_tree(struct net *net,
 	nf_conncount_list_init(&rbconn->list);
 	list_add(&conn->node, &rbconn->list.head);
 	count = 1;
+	rbconn->list.count = count;
 
 	rb_link_node(&rbconn->node, parent, rbnode);
 	rb_insert_color(&rbconn->node, root);