diff --git a/net/sched/act_sample.c b/net/sched/act_sample.c
index f7416b5598e0..4c670e7568dc 100644
--- a/net/sched/act_sample.c
+++ b/net/sched/act_sample.c
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ static int tcf_sample_init(struct net *net, struct nlattr *nla,
 					  sample_policy, NULL);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
-	if (!tb[TCA_SAMPLE_PARMS] || !tb[TCA_SAMPLE_RATE] ||
-	    !tb[TCA_SAMPLE_PSAMPLE_GROUP])
+
+	if (!tb[TCA_SAMPLE_PARMS])
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	parm = nla_data(tb[TCA_SAMPLE_PARMS]);
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ static int tcf_sample_init(struct net *net, struct nlattr *nla,
 		tcf_idr_release(*a, bind);
 		return -EEXIST;
 	}
+
+	if (!tb[TCA_SAMPLE_RATE] || !tb[TCA_SAMPLE_PSAMPLE_GROUP]) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "sample rate and group are required");
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto release_idr;
+	}
+
 	err = tcf_action_check_ctrlact(parm->action, tp, &goto_ch, extack);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto release_idr;