diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_flow_table.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_flow_table.c
index ad317c15d72..fc337cde04a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_flow_table.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_flow_table.c
@@ -1980,7 +1980,8 @@ mlx5e_del_vxlan_rule(struct mlx5e_priv *priv, sa_family_t family, u_int port)
 		return (0);
 	}
 
-	mlx5_del_flow_rule(el->vxlan_ft_rule);
+	if (el->installed)
+		mlx5_del_flow_rule(el->vxlan_ft_rule);
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&priv->vxlan.head, el, link);
 	kvfree(el);
 	return (0);