diff --git a/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_ioctl.c b/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_ioctl.c
index b1918fe54119..6dad4adfb0c9 100644
--- a/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_ioctl.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_ioctl.c
@@ -1254,6 +1254,7 @@ pfioctl(struct cdev *dev, u_long cmd, caddr_t addr, int flags, struct thread *td
 					error = ENOMEM;
 			}
 
+		rule->overload_tbl = NULL;
 		if (rule->overload_tblname[0]) {
 			if ((rule->overload_tbl = pfr_attach_table(ruleset,
 			    rule->overload_tblname)) == NULL)
@@ -1511,6 +1512,7 @@ pfioctl(struct cdev *dev, u_long cmd, caddr_t addr, int flags, struct thread *td
 						error = ENOMEM;
 				}
 
+			newrule->overload_tbl = NULL;
 			if (newrule->overload_tblname[0]) {
 				if ((newrule->overload_tbl = pfr_attach_table(
 				    ruleset, newrule->overload_tblname)) ==