diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv4.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv4.c
index fd62a41d69cc..6dc72a815f77 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv4.c
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ static unsigned int ipv4_conntrack_help(unsigned int hooknum,
 	struct nf_conn *ct;
 	enum ip_conntrack_info ctinfo;
 	struct nf_conn_help *help;
+	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 
 	/* This is where we call the helper: as the packet goes out. */
 	ct = nf_ct_get(*pskb, &ctinfo);
@@ -140,12 +141,14 @@ static unsigned int ipv4_conntrack_help(unsigned int hooknum,
 		return NF_ACCEPT;
 
 	help = nfct_help(ct);
-	if (!help || !help->helper)
+	if (!help)
 		return NF_ACCEPT;
-
-	return help->helper->help(pskb,
-				  skb_network_offset(*pskb) + ip_hdrlen(*pskb),
-				  ct, ctinfo);
+	/* rcu_read_lock()ed by nf_hook_slow */
+	helper = rcu_dereference(help->helper);
+	if (!helper)
+		return NF_ACCEPT;
+	return helper->help(pskb, skb_network_offset(*pskb) + ip_hdrlen(*pskb),
+			    ct, ctinfo);
 }
 
 static unsigned int ipv4_conntrack_defrag(unsigned int hooknum,
diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv6.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv6.c
index dc442fb791b0..1b1797f1f33d 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_l3proto_ipv6.c
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ static unsigned int ipv6_confirm(unsigned int hooknum,
 {
 	struct nf_conn *ct;
 	struct nf_conn_help *help;
+	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 	enum ip_conntrack_info ctinfo;
 	unsigned int ret, protoff;
 	unsigned int extoff = (u8 *)(ipv6_hdr(*pskb) + 1) - (*pskb)->data;
@@ -172,7 +173,11 @@ static unsigned int ipv6_confirm(unsigned int hooknum,
 		goto out;
 
 	help = nfct_help(ct);
-	if (!help || !help->helper)
+	if (!help)
+		goto out;
+	/* rcu_read_lock()ed by nf_hook_slow */
+	helper = rcu_dereference(help->helper);
+	if (!helper)
 		goto out;
 
 	protoff = nf_ct_ipv6_skip_exthdr(*pskb, extoff, &pnum,
@@ -182,7 +187,7 @@ static unsigned int ipv6_confirm(unsigned int hooknum,
 		return NF_ACCEPT;
 	}
 
-	ret = help->helper->help(pskb, protoff, ct, ctinfo);
+	ret = helper->help(pskb, protoff, ct, ctinfo);
 	if (ret != NF_ACCEPT)
 		return ret;
 out:
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
index 483e927a9ca4..7a15e30356f2 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
@@ -350,9 +350,15 @@ static void death_by_timeout(unsigned long ul_conntrack)
 {
 	struct nf_conn *ct = (void *)ul_conntrack;
 	struct nf_conn_help *help = nfct_help(ct);
+	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 
-	if (help && help->helper && help->helper->destroy)
-		help->helper->destroy(ct);
+	if (help) {
+		rcu_read_lock();
+		helper = rcu_dereference(help->helper);
+		if (helper && helper->destroy)
+			helper->destroy(ct);
+		rcu_read_unlock();
+	}
 
 	write_lock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 	/* Inside lock so preempt is disabled on module removal path.
@@ -661,6 +667,7 @@ init_conntrack(const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple,
 	       unsigned int dataoff)
 {
 	struct nf_conn *conntrack;
+	struct nf_conn_help *help;
 	struct nf_conntrack_tuple repl_tuple;
 	struct nf_conntrack_expect *exp;
 	u_int32_t features = 0;
@@ -691,6 +698,7 @@ init_conntrack(const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple,
 	write_lock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 	exp = find_expectation(tuple);
 
+	help = nfct_help(conntrack);
 	if (exp) {
 		DEBUGP("conntrack: expectation arrives ct=%p exp=%p\n",
 			conntrack, exp);
@@ -698,7 +706,7 @@ init_conntrack(const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple,
 		__set_bit(IPS_EXPECTED_BIT, &conntrack->status);
 		conntrack->master = exp->master;
 		if (exp->helper)
-			nfct_help(conntrack)->helper = exp->helper;
+			rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, exp->helper);
 #ifdef CONFIG_NF_CONNTRACK_MARK
 		conntrack->mark = exp->master->mark;
 #endif
@@ -708,10 +716,11 @@ init_conntrack(const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple,
 		nf_conntrack_get(&conntrack->master->ct_general);
 		NF_CT_STAT_INC(expect_new);
 	} else {
-		struct nf_conn_help *help = nfct_help(conntrack);
-
-		if (help)
-			help->helper = __nf_ct_helper_find(&repl_tuple);
+		if (help) {
+			/* not in hash table yet, so not strictly necessary */
+			rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper,
+					   __nf_ct_helper_find(&repl_tuple));
+		}
 		NF_CT_STAT_INC(new);
 	}
 
@@ -893,7 +902,8 @@ void nf_conntrack_alter_reply(struct nf_conn *ct,
 		helper = __nf_ct_helper_find(newreply);
 		if (helper)
 			memset(&help->help, 0, sizeof(help->help));
-		help->helper = helper;
+		/* not in hash table yet, so not strictly necessary */
+		rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, helper);
 	}
 	write_unlock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
 }
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
index 117cbfdb910c..504fb6c083f9 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
@@ -337,6 +337,10 @@ int nf_conntrack_expect_related(struct nf_conntrack_expect *expect)
 	NF_CT_ASSERT(master_help);
 
 	write_lock_bh(&nf_conntrack_lock);
+	if (!master_help->helper) {
+		ret = -ESHUTDOWN;
+		goto out;
+	}
 	list_for_each_entry(i, &nf_conntrack_expect_list, list) {
 		if (expect_matches(i, expect)) {
 			/* Refresh timer: if it's dying, ignore.. */
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
index 0743be4434b0..f868b7fbd9b4 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static inline int unhelp(struct nf_conntrack_tuple_hash *i,
 
 	if (help && help->helper == me) {
 		nf_conntrack_event(IPCT_HELPER, ct);
-		help->helper = NULL;
+		rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, NULL);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
index d6d39e241327..3f73327794ab 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c
@@ -171,21 +171,29 @@ ctnetlink_dump_helpinfo(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct nf_conn *ct)
 {
 	struct nfattr *nest_helper;
 	const struct nf_conn_help *help = nfct_help(ct);
+	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper;
 
-	if (!help || !help->helper)
+	if (!help)
 		return 0;
 
-	nest_helper = NFA_NEST(skb, CTA_HELP);
-	NFA_PUT(skb, CTA_HELP_NAME, strlen(help->helper->name), help->helper->name);
+	rcu_read_lock();
+	helper = rcu_dereference(help->helper);
+	if (!helper)
+		goto out;
 
-	if (help->helper->to_nfattr)
-		help->helper->to_nfattr(skb, ct);
+	nest_helper = NFA_NEST(skb, CTA_HELP);
+	NFA_PUT(skb, CTA_HELP_NAME, strlen(helper->name), helper->name);
+
+	if (helper->to_nfattr)
+		helper->to_nfattr(skb, ct);
 
 	NFA_NEST_END(skb, nest_helper);
-
+out:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return 0;
 
 nfattr_failure:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return -1;
 }
 
@@ -842,7 +850,7 @@ ctnetlink_change_helper(struct nf_conn *ct, struct nfattr *cda[])
 		if (help && help->helper) {
 			/* we had a helper before ... */
 			nf_ct_remove_expectations(ct);
-			help->helper = NULL;
+			rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, NULL);
 		}
 
 		return 0;
@@ -866,7 +874,7 @@ ctnetlink_change_helper(struct nf_conn *ct, struct nfattr *cda[])
 
 	/* need to zero data of old helper */
 	memset(&help->help, 0, sizeof(help->help));
-	help->helper = helper;
+	rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, helper);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -950,6 +958,7 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct nfattr *cda[],
 	struct nf_conn *ct;
 	int err = -EINVAL;
 	struct nf_conn_help *help;
+	struct nf_conntrack_helper *helper = NULL;
 
 	ct = nf_conntrack_alloc(otuple, rtuple);
 	if (ct == NULL || IS_ERR(ct))
@@ -980,14 +989,17 @@ ctnetlink_create_conntrack(struct nfattr *cda[],
 #endif
 
 	help = nfct_help(ct);
-	if (help)
-		help->helper = nf_ct_helper_find_get(rtuple);
+	if (help) {
+		helper = nf_ct_helper_find_get(rtuple);
+		/* not in hash table yet so not strictly necessary */
+		rcu_assign_pointer(help->helper, helper);
+	}
 
 	add_timer(&ct->timeout);
 	nf_conntrack_hash_insert(ct);
 
-	if (help && help->helper)
-		nf_ct_helper_put(help->helper);
+	if (helper)
+		nf_ct_helper_put(helper);
 
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_gre.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_gre.c
index 5434472420fe..339c397d1b5f 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_gre.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_gre.c
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ int nf_ct_gre_keymap_add(struct nf_conn *ct, enum ip_conntrack_dir dir,
 	struct nf_conn_help *help = nfct_help(ct);
 	struct nf_ct_gre_keymap **kmp, *km;
 
-	BUG_ON(strcmp(help->helper->name, "pptp"));
 	kmp = &help->help.ct_pptp_info.keymap[dir];
 	if (*kmp) {
 		/* check whether it's a retransmission */
@@ -137,7 +136,6 @@ void nf_ct_gre_keymap_destroy(struct nf_conn *ct)
 	enum ip_conntrack_dir dir;
 
 	DEBUGP("entering for ct %p\n", ct);
-	BUG_ON(strcmp(help->helper->name, "pptp"));
 
 	write_lock_bh(&nf_ct_gre_lock);
 	for (dir = IP_CT_DIR_ORIGINAL; dir < IP_CT_DIR_MAX; dir++) {