diff --git a/include/net/ip_vs.h b/include/net/ip_vs.h
index 8a4a57b887fb..9a75d9933e63 100644
--- a/include/net/ip_vs.h
+++ b/include/net/ip_vs.h
@@ -1556,12 +1556,8 @@ static inline void ip_vs_notrack(struct sk_buff *skb)
 	struct nf_conn *ct = nf_ct_get(skb, &ctinfo);
 
 	if (!ct || !nf_ct_is_untracked(ct)) {
-		struct nf_conn *untracked;
-
 		nf_conntrack_put(&ct->ct_general);
-		untracked = nf_ct_untracked_get();
-		nf_conntrack_get(&untracked->ct_general);
-		nf_ct_set(skb, untracked, IP_CT_NEW);
+		nf_ct_set(skb, NULL, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 	}
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack.h
index 19605878da47..012b99f563e5 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack.h
@@ -243,14 +243,6 @@ extern s32 (*nf_ct_nat_offset)(const struct nf_conn *ct,
 			       enum ip_conntrack_dir dir,
 			       u32 seq);
 
-/* Fake conntrack entry for untracked connections */
-DECLARE_PER_CPU_ALIGNED(struct nf_conn, nf_conntrack_untracked);
-static inline struct nf_conn *nf_ct_untracked_get(void)
-{
-	return raw_cpu_ptr(&nf_conntrack_untracked);
-}
-void nf_ct_untracked_status_or(unsigned long bits);
-
 /* Iterate over all conntracks: if iter returns true, it's deleted. */
 void nf_ct_iterate_cleanup(struct net *net,
 			   int (*iter)(struct nf_conn *i, void *data),
@@ -283,7 +275,7 @@ static inline int nf_ct_is_dying(const struct nf_conn *ct)
 
 static inline int nf_ct_is_untracked(const struct nf_conn *ct)
 {
-	return test_bit(IPS_UNTRACKED_BIT, &ct->status);
+	return false;
 }
 
 /* Packet is received from loopback */
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/netfilter/nf_conntrack_common.h b/include/uapi/linux/netfilter/nf_conntrack_common.h
index 6a8e33dd4ecb..b4a0a1940118 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/netfilter/nf_conntrack_common.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/netfilter/nf_conntrack_common.h
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@ enum ip_conntrack_info {
 	/* only for userspace compatibility */
 #ifndef __KERNEL__
 	IP_CT_NEW_REPLY = IP_CT_NUMBER,
+#else
+	IP_CT_UNTRACKED = 7,
 #endif
 };
 
 #define NF_CT_STATE_INVALID_BIT			(1 << 0)
 #define NF_CT_STATE_BIT(ctinfo)			(1 << ((ctinfo) % IP_CT_IS_REPLY + 1))
-#define NF_CT_STATE_UNTRACKED_BIT		(1 << (IP_CT_NUMBER + 1))
+#define NF_CT_STATE_UNTRACKED_BIT		(1 << (IP_CT_UNTRACKED + 1))
 
 /* Bitset representing status of connection. */
 enum ip_conntrack_status {
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ enum ip_conntrack_status {
 	IPS_TEMPLATE_BIT = 11,
 	IPS_TEMPLATE = (1 << IPS_TEMPLATE_BIT),
 
-	/* Conntrack is a fake untracked entry */
+	/* Conntrack is a fake untracked entry.  Obsolete and not used anymore */
 	IPS_UNTRACKED_BIT = 12,
 	IPS_UNTRACKED = (1 << IPS_UNTRACKED_BIT),
 
diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv4.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv4.c
index f0dbff05fc28..39895b9ddeb9 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv4.c
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ void nf_dup_ipv4(struct net *net, struct sk_buff *skb, unsigned int hooknum,
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NF_CONNTRACK)
 	/* Avoid counting cloned packets towards the original connection. */
 	nf_reset(skb);
-	nf_ct_set(skb, nf_ct_untracked_get(), IP_CT_NEW);
-	nf_conntrack_get(skb_nfct(skb));
+	nf_ct_set(skb, NULL, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 #endif
 	/*
 	 * If we are in PREROUTING/INPUT, decrease the TTL to mitigate potential
diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_icmpv6.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_icmpv6.c
index d2c2ccbfbe72..d5f028e33f65 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_icmpv6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto_icmpv6.c
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ icmpv6_error(struct net *net, struct nf_conn *tmpl,
 	type = icmp6h->icmp6_type - 130;
 	if (type >= 0 && type < sizeof(noct_valid_new) &&
 	    noct_valid_new[type]) {
-		nf_ct_set(skb, nf_ct_untracked_get(), IP_CT_NEW);
-		nf_conntrack_get(skb_nfct(skb));
+		nf_ct_set(skb, NULL, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 		return NF_ACCEPT;
 	}
 
diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv6.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv6.c
index 888ecd106e5f..4a7ddeddbaab 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_dup_ipv6.c
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ void nf_dup_ipv6(struct net *net, struct sk_buff *skb, unsigned int hooknum,
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NF_CONNTRACK)
 	nf_reset(skb);
-	nf_ct_set(skb, nf_ct_untracked_get(), IP_CT_NEW);
-	nf_conntrack_get(skb_nfct(skb));
+	nf_ct_set(skb, NULL, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 #endif
 	if (hooknum == NF_INET_PRE_ROUTING ||
 	    hooknum == NF_INET_LOCAL_IN) {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
index bcf1d2a6539e..03150f60714d 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
@@ -180,14 +180,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_conntrack_htable_size);
 
 unsigned int nf_conntrack_max __read_mostly;
 seqcount_t nf_conntrack_generation __read_mostly;
-
-/* nf_conn must be 8 bytes aligned, as the 3 LSB bits are used
- * for the nfctinfo. We cheat by (ab)using the PER CPU cache line
- * alignment to enforce this.
- */
-DEFINE_PER_CPU_ALIGNED(struct nf_conn, nf_conntrack_untracked);
-EXPORT_PER_CPU_SYMBOL(nf_conntrack_untracked);
-
 static unsigned int nf_conntrack_hash_rnd __read_mostly;
 
 static u32 hash_conntrack_raw(const struct nf_conntrack_tuple *tuple,
@@ -1314,9 +1306,10 @@ nf_conntrack_in(struct net *net, u_int8_t pf, unsigned int hooknum,
 	int ret;
 
 	tmpl = nf_ct_get(skb, &ctinfo);
-	if (tmpl) {
+	if (tmpl || ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED) {
 		/* Previously seen (loopback or untracked)?  Ignore. */
-		if (!nf_ct_is_template(tmpl)) {
+		if ((tmpl && !nf_ct_is_template(tmpl)) ||
+		     ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED) {
 			NF_CT_STAT_INC_ATOMIC(net, ignore);
 			return NF_ACCEPT;
 		}
@@ -1629,18 +1622,6 @@ void nf_ct_free_hashtable(void *hash, unsigned int size)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_ct_free_hashtable);
 
-static int untrack_refs(void)
-{
-	int cnt = 0, cpu;
-
-	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
-		struct nf_conn *ct = &per_cpu(nf_conntrack_untracked, cpu);
-
-		cnt += atomic_read(&ct->ct_general.use) - 1;
-	}
-	return cnt;
-}
-
 void nf_conntrack_cleanup_start(void)
 {
 	conntrack_gc_work.exiting = true;
@@ -1650,8 +1631,6 @@ void nf_conntrack_cleanup_start(void)
 void nf_conntrack_cleanup_end(void)
 {
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(nf_ct_destroy, NULL);
-	while (untrack_refs() > 0)
-		schedule();
 
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&conntrack_gc_work.dwork);
 	nf_ct_free_hashtable(nf_conntrack_hash, nf_conntrack_htable_size);
@@ -1825,20 +1804,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_conntrack_set_hashsize);
 module_param_call(hashsize, nf_conntrack_set_hashsize, param_get_uint,
 		  &nf_conntrack_htable_size, 0600);
 
-void nf_ct_untracked_status_or(unsigned long bits)
-{
-	int cpu;
-
-	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu)
-		per_cpu(nf_conntrack_untracked, cpu).status |= bits;
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_ct_untracked_status_or);
-
 int nf_conntrack_init_start(void)
 {
 	int max_factor = 8;
 	int ret = -ENOMEM;
-	int i, cpu;
+	int i;
 
 	seqcount_init(&nf_conntrack_generation);
 
@@ -1921,15 +1891,6 @@ int nf_conntrack_init_start(void)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto err_proto;
 
-	/* Set up fake conntrack: to never be deleted, not in any hashes */
-	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
-		struct nf_conn *ct = &per_cpu(nf_conntrack_untracked, cpu);
-		write_pnet(&ct->ct_net, &init_net);
-		atomic_set(&ct->ct_general.use, 1);
-	}
-	/*  - and look it like as a confirmed connection */
-	nf_ct_untracked_status_or(IPS_CONFIRMED | IPS_UNTRACKED);
-
 	conntrack_gc_work_init(&conntrack_gc_work);
 	queue_delayed_work(system_long_wq, &conntrack_gc_work.dwork, HZ);
 
@@ -1977,6 +1938,7 @@ int nf_conntrack_init_net(struct net *net)
 	int ret = -ENOMEM;
 	int cpu;
 
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(IP_CT_UNTRACKED == IP_CT_NUMBER);
 	atomic_set(&net->ct.count, 0);
 
 	net->ct.pcpu_lists = alloc_percpu(struct ct_pcpu);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
index 5e35643da650..9cbf49f9c1b7 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c
@@ -861,9 +861,6 @@ static int __init nf_nat_init(void)
 
 	nf_ct_helper_expectfn_register(&follow_master_nat);
 
-	/* Initialize fake conntrack so that NAT will skip it */
-	nf_ct_untracked_status_or(IPS_NAT_DONE_MASK);
-
 	BUG_ON(nfnetlink_parse_nat_setup_hook != NULL);
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(nfnetlink_parse_nat_setup_hook,
 			   nfnetlink_parse_nat_setup);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c b/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
index 6e23dbbedd7f..6c6fd48b024c 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
@@ -72,12 +72,12 @@ static void nft_ct_get_eval(const struct nft_expr *expr,
 
 	switch (priv->key) {
 	case NFT_CT_STATE:
-		if (ct == NULL)
-			state = NF_CT_STATE_INVALID_BIT;
-		else if (nf_ct_is_untracked(ct))
+		if (ct)
+			state = NF_CT_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
+		else if (ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED)
 			state = NF_CT_STATE_UNTRACKED_BIT;
 		else
-			state = NF_CT_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
+			state = NF_CT_STATE_INVALID_BIT;
 		*dest = state;
 		return;
 	default:
@@ -718,12 +718,10 @@ static void nft_notrack_eval(const struct nft_expr *expr,
 
 	ct = nf_ct_get(pkt->skb, &ctinfo);
 	/* Previously seen (loopback or untracked)?  Ignore. */
-	if (ct)
+	if (ct || ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED)
 		return;
 
-	ct = nf_ct_untracked_get();
-	atomic_inc(&ct->ct_general.use);
-	nf_ct_set(skb, ct, IP_CT_NEW);
+	nf_ct_set(skb, ct, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 }
 
 static struct nft_expr_type nft_notrack_type;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/xt_CT.c b/net/netfilter/xt_CT.c
index b008db0184b8..3cbe1bcf6a74 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/xt_CT.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/xt_CT.c
@@ -26,11 +26,12 @@ static inline int xt_ct_target(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nf_conn *ct)
 	if (skb->_nfct != 0)
 		return XT_CONTINUE;
 
-	/* special case the untracked ct : we want the percpu object */
-	if (!ct)
-		ct = nf_ct_untracked_get();
-	atomic_inc(&ct->ct_general.use);
-	nf_ct_set(skb, ct, IP_CT_NEW);
+	if (ct) {
+		atomic_inc(&ct->ct_general.use);
+		nf_ct_set(skb, ct, IP_CT_NEW);
+	} else {
+		nf_ct_set(skb, ct, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
+	}
 
 	return XT_CONTINUE;
 }
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ static void xt_ct_tg_destroy(const struct xt_tgdtor_param *par,
 	struct nf_conn *ct = info->ct;
 	struct nf_conn_help *help;
 
-	if (ct && !nf_ct_is_untracked(ct)) {
+	if (ct) {
 		help = nfct_help(ct);
 		if (help)
 			module_put(help->helper->me);
@@ -412,8 +413,7 @@ notrack_tg(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct xt_action_param *par)
 	if (skb->_nfct != 0)
 		return XT_CONTINUE;
 
-	nf_ct_set(skb, nf_ct_untracked_get(), IP_CT_NEW);
-	nf_conntrack_get(skb_nfct(skb));
+	nf_ct_set(skb, NULL, IP_CT_UNTRACKED);
 
 	return XT_CONTINUE;
 }
diff --git a/net/netfilter/xt_conntrack.c b/net/netfilter/xt_conntrack.c
index c0fb217bc649..39cf1d019240 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/xt_conntrack.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/xt_conntrack.c
@@ -172,12 +172,11 @@ conntrack_mt(const struct sk_buff *skb, struct xt_action_param *par,
 
 	ct = nf_ct_get(skb, &ctinfo);
 
-	if (ct) {
-		if (nf_ct_is_untracked(ct))
-			statebit = XT_CONNTRACK_STATE_UNTRACKED;
-		else
-			statebit = XT_CONNTRACK_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
-	} else
+	if (ct)
+		statebit = XT_CONNTRACK_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
+	else if (ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED)
+		statebit = XT_CONNTRACK_STATE_UNTRACKED;
+	else
 		statebit = XT_CONNTRACK_STATE_INVALID;
 
 	if (info->match_flags & XT_CONNTRACK_STATE) {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/xt_state.c b/net/netfilter/xt_state.c
index 5746a33789a5..5fbd79194d21 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/xt_state.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/xt_state.c
@@ -28,14 +28,13 @@ state_mt(const struct sk_buff *skb, struct xt_action_param *par)
 	unsigned int statebit;
 	struct nf_conn *ct = nf_ct_get(skb, &ctinfo);
 
-	if (!ct)
+	if (ct)
+		statebit = XT_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
+	else if (ctinfo == IP_CT_UNTRACKED)
+		statebit = XT_STATE_UNTRACKED;
+	else
 		statebit = XT_STATE_INVALID;
-	else {
-		if (nf_ct_is_untracked(ct))
-			statebit = XT_STATE_UNTRACKED;
-		else
-			statebit = XT_STATE_BIT(ctinfo);
-	}
+
 	return (sinfo->statemask & statebit);
 }