diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
index 852e8302ad58..297fedc6dec3 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_set_rbtree.c
@@ -247,6 +247,22 @@ static int nft_rbtree_gc_elem(const struct nft_set *__set,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static bool nft_rbtree_update_first(const struct nft_set *set,
+				    struct nft_rbtree_elem *rbe,
+				    struct rb_node *first)
+{
+	struct nft_rbtree_elem *first_elem;
+
+	first_elem = rb_entry(first, struct nft_rbtree_elem, node);
+	/* this element is closest to where the new element is to be inserted:
+	 * update the first element for the node list path
+	 */
+	if (nft_rbtree_cmp(set, rbe, first_elem) < 0)
+		return true;
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 static int __nft_rbtree_insert(const struct net *net, const struct nft_set *set,
 			       struct nft_rbtree_elem *new,
 			       struct nft_set_ext **ext)
@@ -272,7 +288,10 @@ static int __nft_rbtree_insert(const struct net *net, const struct nft_set *set,
 		if (d < 0) {
 			p = &parent->rb_left;
 		} else if (d > 0) {
-			first = &rbe->node;
+			if (!first ||
+			    nft_rbtree_update_first(set, rbe, first))
+				first = &rbe->node;
+
 			p = &parent->rb_right;
 		} else {
 			if (nft_rbtree_interval_end(rbe))