diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
index 32cc91f5ba99..89174c91053e 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ int nf_conntrack_helper_register(struct nf_conntrack_helper *me)
 			    (cur->tuple.src.l3num == NFPROTO_UNSPEC ||
 			     cur->tuple.src.l3num == me->tuple.src.l3num) &&
 			    cur->tuple.dst.protonum == me->tuple.dst.protonum) {
-				ret = -EEXIST;
+				ret = -EBUSY;
 				goto out;
 			}
 		}
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ int nf_conntrack_helper_register(struct nf_conntrack_helper *me)
 		hlist_for_each_entry(cur, &nf_ct_helper_hash[h], hnode) {
 			if (nf_ct_tuple_src_mask_cmp(&cur->tuple, &me->tuple,
 						     &mask)) {
-				ret = -EEXIST;
+				ret = -EBUSY;
 				goto out;
 			}
 		}