char *helpname;
        int err;
 
-       if (!help) {
-               /* FIXME: we need to reallocate and rehash */
-               return -EBUSY;
-       }
-
        /* don't change helper of sibling connections */
        if (ct->master)
                return -EINVAL;
        if (err < 0)
                return err;
 
-       helper = __nf_conntrack_helper_find_byname(helpname);
-       if (!helper) {
-               if (!strcmp(helpname, ""))
-                       helper = NULL;
-               else
-                       return -EINVAL;
-       }
-
-       if (help->helper) {
-               if (!helper) {
+       if (!strcmp(helpname, "")) {
+               if (help && help->helper) {
                        /* we had a helper before ... */
                        nf_ct_remove_expectations(ct);
                        help->helper = NULL;
-               } else {
-                       /* need to zero data of old helper */
-                       memset(&help->help, 0, sizeof(help->help));
                }
+
+               return 0;
        }
 
+       if (!help) {
+               /* FIXME: we need to reallocate and rehash */
+               return -EBUSY;
+       }
+
+       helper = __nf_conntrack_helper_find_byname(helpname);
+       if (helper == NULL)
+               return -EINVAL;
+
+       if (help->helper == helper)
+               return 0;
+
+       if (help->helper)
+               /* we had a helper before ... */
+               nf_ct_remove_expectations(ct);
+
+       /* need to zero data of old helper */
+       memset(&help->help, 0, sizeof(help->help));
        help->helper = helper;
 
        return 0;