diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/br_netfilter.h b/include/net/netfilter/br_netfilter.h
index 4cd56808ac4e..89808ce293c4 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/br_netfilter.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/br_netfilter.h
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ static inline struct rtable *bridge_parent_rtable(const struct net_device *dev)
 }
 
 struct net_device *setup_pre_routing(struct sk_buff *skb);
-void br_netfilter_enable(void);
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_IPV6)
 int br_validate_ipv6(struct net *net, struct sk_buff *skb);
diff --git a/net/bridge/br_netfilter_hooks.c b/net/bridge/br_netfilter_hooks.c
index c93c35bb73dd..40d058378b52 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br_netfilter_hooks.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br_netfilter_hooks.c
@@ -881,11 +881,6 @@ static const struct nf_br_ops br_ops = {
 	.br_dev_xmit_hook =	br_nf_dev_xmit,
 };
 
-void br_netfilter_enable(void)
-{
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(br_netfilter_enable);
-
 /* For br_nf_post_routing, we need (prio = NF_BR_PRI_LAST), because
  * br_dev_queue_push_xmit is called afterwards */
 static const struct nf_hook_ops br_nf_ops[] = {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/xt_physdev.c b/net/netfilter/xt_physdev.c
index 4034d70bff39..b2e39cb6a590 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/xt_physdev.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/xt_physdev.c
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ physdev_mt(const struct sk_buff *skb, struct xt_action_param *par)
 static int physdev_mt_check(const struct xt_mtchk_param *par)
 {
 	const struct xt_physdev_info *info = par->matchinfo;
-
-	br_netfilter_enable();
+	static bool brnf_probed __read_mostly;
 
 	if (!(info->bitmask & XT_PHYSDEV_OP_MASK) ||
 	    info->bitmask & ~XT_PHYSDEV_OP_MASK)
@@ -111,6 +110,12 @@ static int physdev_mt_check(const struct xt_mtchk_param *par)
 		if (par->hook_mask & (1 << NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT))
 			return -EINVAL;
 	}
+
+	if (!brnf_probed) {
+		brnf_probed = true;
+		request_module("br_netfilter");
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }