diff --git a/iptables/xtables-save.c b/iptables/xtables-save.c
index 0c294e056c7b5..77b13f7ffbcdd 100644
--- a/iptables/xtables-save.c
+++ b/iptables/xtables-save.c
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@
 #define prog_name xtables_globals.program_name
 #define prog_vers xtables_globals.program_version
 
-static bool show_counters = false;
-
 static const char *ipt_save_optstring = "bcdt:M:f:46V";
 static const struct option ipt_save_options[] = {
 	{.name = "counters", .has_arg = false, .val = 'c'},
@@ -63,8 +61,6 @@ static const struct option ebt_save_options[] = {
 	{NULL},
 };
 
-static bool ebt_legacy_counter_format;
-
 struct do_output_data {
 	unsigned int format;
 	bool commit;
@@ -228,9 +224,18 @@ xtables_save_main(int family, int argc, char *argv[],
 	case NFPROTO_ARP:
 		tables = xtables_arp;
 		break;
-	case NFPROTO_BRIDGE:
+	case NFPROTO_BRIDGE: {
+		const char *ctr = getenv("EBTABLES_SAVE_COUNTER");
+
+		if (!(d.format & FMT_NOCOUNTS)) {
+			d.format |= FMT_EBT_SAVE;
+		} else if (ctr && !strcmp(ctr, "yes")) {
+			d.format &= ~FMT_NOCOUNTS;
+			d.format |= FMT_C_COUNTS | FMT_EBT_SAVE;
+		}
 		tables = xtables_bridge;
 		break;
+	}
 	default:
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unknown family %d\n", family);
 		return 1;
@@ -264,112 +269,10 @@ int xtables_ip6_save_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				 ipt_save_optstring, ipt_save_options);
 }
 
-static int __ebt_save(struct nft_handle *h, const char *tablename, void *data)
+int xtables_eb_save_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	struct nftnl_chain_list *chain_list;
-	unsigned int format = FMT_NOCOUNTS;
-	bool *counters = data;
-	time_t now;
-
-	if (!nft_table_find(h, tablename)) {
-		printf("Table `%s' does not exist\n", tablename);
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	if (!nft_is_table_compatible(h, tablename)) {
-		printf("# Table `%s' is incompatible, use 'nft' tool.\n", tablename);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	chain_list = nft_chain_list_get(h, tablename);
-
-	now = time(NULL);
-	printf("# Generated by %s v%s on %s", prog_name,
-	       prog_vers, ctime(&now));
-	printf("*%s\n", tablename);
-
-	if (counters)
-		format = FMT_EBT_SAVE |
-			(ebt_legacy_counter_format ? FMT_C_COUNTS : 0);
-
-	/* Dump out chain names first,
-	 * thereby preventing dependency conflicts */
-	nft_chain_save(h, chain_list);
-	nft_rule_save(h, tablename, format);
-	now = time(NULL);
-	printf("# Completed on %s", ctime(&now));
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int ebt_save(struct nft_handle *h, const char *tablename, bool counters)
-{
-	if (!tablename)
-		return nft_for_each_table(h, __ebt_save, &counters);
-
-	return __ebt_save(h, tablename, &counters);
-}
-
-int xtables_eb_save_main(int argc_, char *argv_[])
-{
-	const char *ctr = getenv("EBTABLES_SAVE_COUNTER");
-	const char *tablename = NULL;
-	struct nft_handle h = {
-		.family	= NFPROTO_BRIDGE,
-	};
-	int c;
-
-	if (ctr) {
-		if (strcmp(ctr, "yes") == 0) {
-			ebt_legacy_counter_format = true;
-			show_counters = true;
-		}
-	}
-
-	xtables_globals.program_name = basename(*argv_);
-	c = xtables_init_all(&xtables_globals, h.family);
-	if (c < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s/%s Failed to initialize xtables\n",
-				xtables_globals.program_name,
-				xtables_globals.program_version);
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
-	while ((c = getopt_long(argc_, argv_, ebt_save_optstring, ebt_save_options, NULL)) != -1) {
-		switch (c) {
-		case 'c':
-			unsetenv("EBTABLES_SAVE_COUNTER");
-			show_counters = true;
-			ebt_legacy_counter_format = false;
-			break;
-		case 't':
-			/* Select specific table. */
-			tablename = optarg;
-			break;
-		case 'M':
-			xtables_modprobe_program = optarg;
-			break;
-		case 'V':
-			printf("%s v%s (nf_tables)\n", prog_name, prog_vers);
-			exit(0);
-		default:
-			fprintf(stderr,
-				"Look at manual page `%s.8' for more information.\n",
-				prog_name);
-			exit(1);
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (nft_init(&h, xtables_bridge) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s/%s Failed to initialize nft: %s\n",
-				xtables_globals.program_name,
-				xtables_globals.program_version,
-				strerror(errno));
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-	}
-
-	ebt_save(&h, tablename, show_counters);
-	nft_fini(&h);
-	return 0;
+	return xtables_save_main(NFPROTO_BRIDGE, argc, argv,
+				 ebt_save_optstring, ebt_save_options);
 }
 
 int xtables_arp_save_main(int argc, char *argv[])
