diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_router.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_router.c
index 4cff4c043d11..4573da2c5560 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_router.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_router.c
@@ -345,7 +345,8 @@ mlxsw_sp_lpm_tree_get(struct mlxsw_sp *mlxsw_sp,
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MLXSW_SP_LPM_TREE_COUNT; i++) {
 		lpm_tree = &mlxsw_sp->router.lpm_trees[i];
-		if (lpm_tree->proto == proto &&
+		if (lpm_tree->ref_count != 0 &&
+		    lpm_tree->proto == proto &&
 		    mlxsw_sp_prefix_usage_eq(&lpm_tree->prefix_usage,
 					     prefix_usage))
 			goto inc_ref_count;