diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index a7a34db62ea9..d0c09f899e80 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -594,6 +594,12 @@ static int nft_mapelem_deactivate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 				  const struct nft_set_iter *iter,
 				  struct nft_elem_priv *elem_priv)
 {
+	struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
+
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
+	nft_set_elem_change_active(ctx->net, set, ext);
 	nft_setelem_data_deactivate(ctx->net, set, elem_priv);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -617,6 +623,7 @@ static void nft_map_catchall_deactivate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 		if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, genmask))
 			continue;
 
+		nft_set_elem_change_active(ctx->net, set, ext);
 		nft_setelem_data_deactivate(ctx->net, set, catchall->elem);
 		break;
 	}
@@ -3880,6 +3887,9 @@ int nft_setelem_validate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 	const struct nft_data *data;
 	int err;
 
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (nft_set_ext_exists(ext, NFT_SET_EXT_FLAGS) &&
 	    *nft_set_ext_flags(ext) & NFT_SET_ELEM_INTERVAL_END)
 		return 0;
@@ -3903,17 +3913,20 @@ int nft_setelem_validate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 
 int nft_set_catchall_validate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set)
 {
-	u8 genmask = nft_genmask_next(ctx->net);
+	struct nft_set_iter dummy_iter = {
+		.genmask	= nft_genmask_next(ctx->net),
+	};
 	struct nft_set_elem_catchall *catchall;
+
 	struct nft_set_ext *ext;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_rcu(catchall, &set->catchall_list, list) {
 		ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, catchall->elem);
-		if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, genmask))
+		if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, dummy_iter.genmask))
 			continue;
 
-		ret = nft_setelem_validate(ctx, set, NULL, catchall->elem);
+		ret = nft_setelem_validate(ctx, set, &dummy_iter, catchall->elem);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 	}
@@ -5402,6 +5415,11 @@ static int nf_tables_bind_check_setelem(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 					const struct nft_set_iter *iter,
 					struct nft_elem_priv *elem_priv)
 {
+	const struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
+
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
 	return nft_setelem_data_validate(ctx, set, elem_priv);
 }
 
@@ -5494,6 +5512,13 @@ static int nft_mapelem_activate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 				const struct nft_set_iter *iter,
 				struct nft_elem_priv *elem_priv)
 {
+	struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
+
+	/* called from abort path, reverse check to undo changes. */
+	if (nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
+	nft_clear(ctx->net, ext);
 	nft_setelem_data_activate(ctx->net, set, elem_priv);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -5511,6 +5536,7 @@ static void nft_map_catchall_activate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 		if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, genmask))
 			continue;
 
+		nft_clear(ctx->net, ext);
 		nft_setelem_data_activate(ctx->net, set, catchall->elem);
 		break;
 	}
@@ -5785,6 +5811,9 @@ static int nf_tables_dump_setelem(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	const struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
 	struct nft_set_dump_args *args;
 
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (nft_set_elem_expired(ext) || nft_set_elem_is_dead(ext))
 		return 0;
 
@@ -6635,7 +6664,7 @@ static void nft_setelem_activate(struct net *net, struct nft_set *set,
 	struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
 
 	if (nft_setelem_is_catchall(set, elem_priv)) {
-		nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, ext);
+		nft_clear(net, ext);
 	} else {
 		set->ops->activate(net, set, elem_priv);
 	}
@@ -7317,8 +7346,12 @@ static int nft_setelem_flush(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			     const struct nft_set_iter *iter,
 			     struct nft_elem_priv *elem_priv)
 {
+	const struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
 	struct nft_trans *trans;
 
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
 	trans = nft_trans_alloc_gfp(ctx, NFT_MSG_DELSETELEM,
 				    sizeof(struct nft_trans_elem), GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (!trans)
@@ -10800,6 +10833,9 @@ static int nf_tables_loop_check_setelem(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 {
 	const struct nft_set_ext *ext = nft_set_elem_ext(set, elem_priv);
 
+	if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (nft_set_ext_exists(ext, NFT_SET_EXT_FLAGS) &&
 	    *nft_set_ext_flags(ext) & NFT_SET_ELEM_INTERVAL_END)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_bitmap.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_bitmap.c
index 32df7a16835d..1caa04619dc6 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_bitmap.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_bitmap.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ static void nft_bitmap_activate(const struct net *net,
 	nft_bitmap_location(set, nft_set_ext_key(&be->ext), &idx, &off);
 	/* Enter 11 state. */
 	priv->bitmap[idx] |= (genmask << off);
-	nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, &be->ext);
+	nft_clear(net, &be->ext);
 }
 
 static void nft_bitmap_flush(const struct net *net,
@@ -222,8 +222,6 @@ static void nft_bitmap_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 	list_for_each_entry_rcu(be, &priv->list, head) {
 		if (iter->count < iter->skip)
 			goto cont;
-		if (!nft_set_elem_active(&be->ext, iter->genmask))
-			goto cont;
 
 		iter->err = iter->fn(ctx, set, iter, &be->priv);
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_hash.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_hash.c
index 6968a3b34236..daa56dda737a 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_hash.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_hash.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ static void nft_rhash_activate(const struct net *net, const struct nft_set *set,
 {
 	struct nft_rhash_elem *he = nft_elem_priv_cast(elem_priv);
 
-	nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, &he->ext);
+	nft_clear(net, &he->ext);
 }
 
 static void nft_rhash_flush(const struct net *net,
@@ -286,8 +286,6 @@ static void nft_rhash_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 
 		if (iter->count < iter->skip)
 			goto cont;
-		if (!nft_set_elem_active(&he->ext, iter->genmask))
-			goto cont;
 
 		iter->err = iter->fn(ctx, set, iter, &he->priv);
 		if (iter->err < 0)
@@ -599,7 +597,7 @@ static void nft_hash_activate(const struct net *net, const struct nft_set *set,
 {
 	struct nft_hash_elem *he = nft_elem_priv_cast(elem_priv);
 
-	nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, &he->ext);
+	nft_clear(net, &he->ext);
 }
 
 static void nft_hash_flush(const struct net *net,
@@ -652,8 +650,6 @@ static void nft_hash_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(he, &priv->table[i], node) {
 			if (iter->count < iter->skip)
 				goto cont;
-			if (!nft_set_elem_active(&he->ext, iter->genmask))
-				goto cont;
 
 			iter->err = iter->fn(ctx, set, iter, &he->priv);
 			if (iter->err < 0)
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
index 0f903d18bbea..187138afac45 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
@@ -1847,7 +1847,7 @@ static void nft_pipapo_activate(const struct net *net,
 {
 	struct nft_pipapo_elem *e = nft_elem_priv_cast(elem_priv);
 
-	nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, &e->ext);
+	nft_clear(net, &e->ext);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2149,9 +2149,6 @@ static void nft_pipapo_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 
 		e = f->mt[r].e;
 
-		if (!nft_set_elem_active(&e->ext, iter->genmask))
-			goto cont;
-
 		iter->err = iter->fn(ctx, set, iter, &e->priv);
 		if (iter->err < 0)
 			goto out;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
index 9944fe479e53..b7ea21327549 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ static void nft_rbtree_activate(const struct net *net,
 {
 	struct nft_rbtree_elem *rbe = nft_elem_priv_cast(elem_priv);
 
-	nft_set_elem_change_active(net, set, &rbe->ext);
+	nft_clear(net, &rbe->ext);
 }
 
 static void nft_rbtree_flush(const struct net *net,
@@ -600,8 +600,6 @@ static void nft_rbtree_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 
 		if (iter->count < iter->skip)
 			goto cont;
-		if (!nft_set_elem_active(&rbe->ext, iter->genmask))
-			goto cont;
 
 		iter->err = iter->fn(ctx, set, iter, &rbe->priv);
 		if (iter->err < 0) {