diff --git a/src/evaluate.c b/src/evaluate.c
index 5311963a20c5..7cd90e2c1840 100644
--- a/src/evaluate.c
+++ b/src/evaluate.c
@@ -3867,7 +3867,8 @@ static int set_evaluate(struct eval_ctx *ctx, struct set *set)
 	}
 	ctx->set = NULL;
 
-	if (set_cache_find(table, set->handle.set.name) == NULL)
+	if (!(set->flags & NFT_SET_ANONYMOUS) &&
+	    !set_cache_find(table, set->handle.set.name))
 		set_cache_add(set_get(set), table);
 
 	return 0;