diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
index 8af2543520b99..1b95c34a4e3d1 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
@@ -297,9 +297,22 @@ struct nft_set_elem {
 	void			*priv;
 };
 
+/**
+ * enum nft_iter_type - nftables set iterator type
+ *
+ * @NFT_ITER_READ: read-only iteration over set elements
+ * @NFT_ITER_UPDATE: iteration under mutex to update set element state
+ */
+enum nft_iter_type {
+	NFT_ITER_UNSPEC,
+	NFT_ITER_READ,
+	NFT_ITER_UPDATE,
+};
+
 struct nft_set;
 struct nft_set_iter {
 	u8		genmask;
+	enum nft_iter_type type:8;
 	unsigned int	count;
 	unsigned int	skip;
 	int		err;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index fc99a5e91829d..da5684e3fd08c 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ static void nft_map_deactivate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set)
 {
 	struct nft_set_iter iter = {
 		.genmask	= nft_genmask_next(ctx->net),
+		.type		= NFT_ITER_UPDATE,
 		.fn		= nft_mapelem_deactivate,
 	};
 
@@ -5392,6 +5393,7 @@ int nf_tables_bind_set(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 		}
 
 		iter.genmask	= nft_genmask_next(ctx->net);
+		iter.type	= NFT_ITER_UPDATE;
 		iter.skip 	= 0;
 		iter.count	= 0;
 		iter.err	= 0;
@@ -5467,6 +5469,7 @@ static void nft_map_activate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set)
 {
 	struct nft_set_iter iter = {
 		.genmask	= nft_genmask_next(ctx->net),
+		.type		= NFT_ITER_UPDATE,
 		.fn		= nft_mapelem_activate,
 	};
 
@@ -5845,6 +5848,7 @@ static int nf_tables_dump_set(struct sk_buff *skb, struct netlink_callback *cb)
 	args.skb		= skb;
 	args.reset		= reset;
 	args.iter.genmask	= nft_genmask_cur(net);
+	args.iter.type		= NFT_ITER_READ;
 	args.iter.skip		= cb->args[0];
 	args.iter.count		= 0;
 	args.iter.err		= 0;
@@ -7246,6 +7250,7 @@ static int nft_set_flush(struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set, u8 genmask)
 {
 	struct nft_set_iter iter = {
 		.genmask	= genmask,
+		.type		= NFT_ITER_UPDATE,
 		.fn		= nft_setelem_flush,
 	};
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
index e4dd730930484..90f129f1a136a 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_pipapo.c
@@ -2037,13 +2037,14 @@ static void nft_pipapo_walk(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 			    struct nft_set_iter *iter)
 {
 	struct nft_pipapo *priv = nft_set_priv(set);
-	struct net *net = read_pnet(&set->net);
 	const struct nft_pipapo_match *m;
 	const struct nft_pipapo_field *f;
 	int i, r;
 
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(iter->type == NFT_ITER_UNSPEC);
+
 	rcu_read_lock();
-	if (iter->genmask == nft_genmask_cur(net))
+	if (iter->type == NFT_ITER_READ)
 		m = rcu_dereference(priv->match);
 	else
 		m = priv->clone;