diff --git a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
index 7ece4fd0cf66..1554f1e7215b 100644
--- a/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
+++ b/include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h
@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ struct nft_ctx {
 
 struct nft_data_desc {
 	enum nft_data_types		type;
+	unsigned int			size;
 	unsigned int			len;
 };
 
-int nft_data_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
-		  struct nft_data *data, unsigned int size,
+int nft_data_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_data *data,
 		  struct nft_data_desc *desc, const struct nlattr *nla);
 void nft_data_hold(const struct nft_data *data, enum nft_data_types type);
 void nft_data_release(const struct nft_data *data, enum nft_data_types type);
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index 1ddb02e12dc8..5588dd3ce41d 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -5195,19 +5195,13 @@ static int nft_setelem_parse_flags(const struct nft_set *set,
 static int nft_setelem_parse_key(struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 				 struct nft_data *key, struct nlattr *attr)
 {
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
-	int err;
-
-	err = nft_data_init(ctx, key, NFT_DATA_VALUE_MAXLEN, &desc, attr);
-	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
-
-	if (desc.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE || desc.len != set->klen) {
-		nft_data_release(key, desc.type);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= NFT_DATA_VALUE_MAXLEN,
+		.len	= set->klen,
+	};
 
-	return 0;
+	return nft_data_init(ctx, key, &desc, attr);
 }
 
 static int nft_setelem_parse_data(struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
@@ -5216,24 +5210,17 @@ static int nft_setelem_parse_data(struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_set *set,
 				  struct nlattr *attr)
 {
 	u32 dtype;
-	int err;
-
-	err = nft_data_init(ctx, data, NFT_DATA_VALUE_MAXLEN, desc, attr);
-	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
 
 	if (set->dtype == NFT_DATA_VERDICT)
 		dtype = NFT_DATA_VERDICT;
 	else
 		dtype = NFT_DATA_VALUE;
 
-	if (dtype != desc->type ||
-	    set->dlen != desc->len) {
-		nft_data_release(data, desc->type);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
+	desc->type = dtype;
+	desc->size = NFT_DATA_VALUE_MAXLEN;
+	desc->len = set->dlen;
 
-	return 0;
+	return nft_data_init(ctx, data, desc, attr);
 }
 
 static void *nft_setelem_catchall_get(const struct net *net,
@@ -9678,7 +9665,7 @@ static int nft_verdict_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_data *data,
 	}
 
 	desc->len = sizeof(data->verdict);
-	desc->type = NFT_DATA_VERDICT;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -9731,20 +9718,25 @@ int nft_verdict_dump(struct sk_buff *skb, int type, const struct nft_verdict *v)
 }
 
 static int nft_value_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
-			  struct nft_data *data, unsigned int size,
-			  struct nft_data_desc *desc, const struct nlattr *nla)
+			  struct nft_data *data, struct nft_data_desc *desc,
+			  const struct nlattr *nla)
 {
 	unsigned int len;
 
 	len = nla_len(nla);
 	if (len == 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
-	if (len > size)
+	if (len > desc->size)
 		return -EOVERFLOW;
+	if (desc->len) {
+		if (len != desc->len)
+			return -EINVAL;
+	} else {
+		desc->len = len;
+	}
 
 	nla_memcpy(data->data, nla, len);
-	desc->type = NFT_DATA_VALUE;
-	desc->len  = len;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -9764,7 +9756,6 @@ static const struct nla_policy nft_data_policy[NFTA_DATA_MAX + 1] = {
  *
  *	@ctx: context of the expression using the data
  *	@data: destination struct nft_data
- *	@size: maximum data length
  *	@desc: data description
  *	@nla: netlink attribute containing data
  *
@@ -9774,24 +9765,35 @@ static const struct nla_policy nft_data_policy[NFTA_DATA_MAX + 1] = {
  *	The caller can indicate that it only wants to accept data of type
  *	NFT_DATA_VALUE by passing NULL for the ctx argument.
  */
-int nft_data_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
-		  struct nft_data *data, unsigned int size,
+int nft_data_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, struct nft_data *data,
 		  struct nft_data_desc *desc, const struct nlattr *nla)
 {
 	struct nlattr *tb[NFTA_DATA_MAX + 1];
 	int err;
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!desc->size))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	err = nla_parse_nested_deprecated(tb, NFTA_DATA_MAX, nla,
 					  nft_data_policy, NULL);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	if (tb[NFTA_DATA_VALUE])
-		return nft_value_init(ctx, data, size, desc,
-				      tb[NFTA_DATA_VALUE]);
-	if (tb[NFTA_DATA_VERDICT] && ctx != NULL)
-		return nft_verdict_init(ctx, data, desc, tb[NFTA_DATA_VERDICT]);
-	return -EINVAL;
+	if (tb[NFTA_DATA_VALUE]) {
+		if (desc->type != NFT_DATA_VALUE)
+			return -EINVAL;
+
+		err = nft_value_init(ctx, data, desc, tb[NFTA_DATA_VALUE]);
+	} else if (tb[NFTA_DATA_VERDICT] && ctx != NULL) {
+		if (desc->type != NFT_DATA_VERDICT)
+			return -EINVAL;
+
+		err = nft_verdict_init(ctx, data, desc, tb[NFTA_DATA_VERDICT]);
+	} else {
+		err = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nft_data_init);
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_bitwise.c b/net/netfilter/nft_bitwise.c
index 83590afe3768..e6e402b247d0 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_bitwise.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_bitwise.c
@@ -93,7 +93,16 @@ static const struct nla_policy nft_bitwise_policy[NFTA_BITWISE_MAX + 1] = {
 static int nft_bitwise_init_bool(struct nft_bitwise *priv,
 				 const struct nlattr *const tb[])
 {
-	struct nft_data_desc mask, xor;
+	struct nft_data_desc mask = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->mask),
+		.len	= priv->len,
+	};
+	struct nft_data_desc xor = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->xor),
+		.len	= priv->len,
+	};
 	int err;
 
 	if (tb[NFTA_BITWISE_DATA])
@@ -103,37 +112,30 @@ static int nft_bitwise_init_bool(struct nft_bitwise *priv,
 	    !tb[NFTA_BITWISE_XOR])
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->mask, sizeof(priv->mask), &mask,
-			    tb[NFTA_BITWISE_MASK]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->mask, &mask, tb[NFTA_BITWISE_MASK]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
-	if (mask.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE || mask.len != priv->len) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto err_mask_release;
-	}
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->xor, sizeof(priv->xor), &xor,
-			    tb[NFTA_BITWISE_XOR]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->xor, &xor, tb[NFTA_BITWISE_XOR]);
 	if (err < 0)
-		goto err_mask_release;
-	if (xor.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE || xor.len != priv->len) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto err_xor_release;
-	}
+		goto err_xor_err;
 
 	return 0;
 
-err_xor_release:
-	nft_data_release(&priv->xor, xor.type);
-err_mask_release:
+err_xor_err:
 	nft_data_release(&priv->mask, mask.type);
+
 	return err;
 }
 
 static int nft_bitwise_init_shift(struct nft_bitwise *priv,
 				  const struct nlattr *const tb[])
 {
-	struct nft_data_desc d;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data),
+		.len	= sizeof(u32),
+	};
 	int err;
 
 	if (tb[NFTA_BITWISE_MASK] ||
@@ -143,13 +145,12 @@ static int nft_bitwise_init_shift(struct nft_bitwise *priv,
 	if (!tb[NFTA_BITWISE_DATA])
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, sizeof(priv->data), &d,
-			    tb[NFTA_BITWISE_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, &desc, tb[NFTA_BITWISE_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
-	if (d.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE || d.len != sizeof(u32) ||
-	    priv->data.data[0] >= BITS_PER_TYPE(u32)) {
-		nft_data_release(&priv->data, d.type);
+
+	if (priv->data.data[0] >= BITS_PER_TYPE(u32)) {
+		nft_data_release(&priv->data, desc.type);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
@@ -339,22 +340,21 @@ static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_bitwise_ops = {
 static int
 nft_bitwise_extract_u32_data(const struct nlattr * const tb, u32 *out)
 {
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
 	struct nft_data data;
-	int err = 0;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(data),
+		.len	= sizeof(u32),
+	};
+	int err;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, sizeof(data), &desc, tb);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, &desc, tb);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	if (desc.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE || desc.len != sizeof(u32)) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto err;
-	}
 	*out = data.data[0];
-err:
-	nft_data_release(&data, desc.type);
-	return err;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int nft_bitwise_fast_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_cmp.c b/net/netfilter/nft_cmp.c
index 777f09e4dc60..963cf831799c 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_cmp.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_cmp.c
@@ -73,20 +73,16 @@ static int nft_cmp_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr,
 			const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
 	struct nft_cmp_expr *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data),
+	};
 	int err;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, sizeof(priv->data), &desc,
-			    tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, &desc, tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	if (desc.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		nft_data_release(&priv->data, desc.type);
-		return err;
-	}
-
 	err = nft_parse_register_load(tb[NFTA_CMP_SREG], &priv->sreg, desc.len);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
@@ -214,12 +210,14 @@ static int nft_cmp_fast_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			     const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
 	struct nft_cmp_fast_expr *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
 	struct nft_data data;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(data),
+	};
 	int err;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, sizeof(data), &desc,
-			    tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, &desc, tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
@@ -313,11 +311,13 @@ static int nft_cmp16_fast_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			       const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
 	struct nft_cmp16_fast_expr *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data),
+	};
 	int err;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, sizeof(priv->data), &desc,
-			    tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data, &desc, tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
@@ -380,8 +380,11 @@ const struct nft_expr_ops nft_cmp16_fast_ops = {
 static const struct nft_expr_ops *
 nft_cmp_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
 	struct nft_data data;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(data),
+	};
 	enum nft_cmp_ops op;
 	u8 sreg;
 	int err;
@@ -404,14 +407,10 @@ nft_cmp_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, sizeof(data), &desc,
-			    tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &data, &desc, tb[NFTA_CMP_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return ERR_PTR(err);
 
-	if (desc.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE)
-		goto err1;
-
 	sreg = ntohl(nla_get_be32(tb[NFTA_CMP_SREG]));
 
 	if (op == NFT_CMP_EQ || op == NFT_CMP_NEQ) {
@@ -423,9 +422,6 @@ nft_cmp_select_ops(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 			return &nft_cmp16_fast_ops;
 	}
 	return &nft_cmp_ops;
-err1:
-	nft_data_release(&data, desc.type);
-	return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 }
 
 struct nft_expr_type nft_cmp_type __read_mostly = {
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_immediate.c b/net/netfilter/nft_immediate.c
index b80f7b507349..5f28b21abc7d 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_immediate.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_immediate.c
@@ -29,20 +29,36 @@ static const struct nla_policy nft_immediate_policy[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_MAX + 1] = {
 	[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DATA]	= { .type = NLA_NESTED },
 };
 
+static enum nft_data_types nft_reg_to_type(const struct nlattr *nla)
+{
+	enum nft_data_types type;
+	u8 reg;
+
+	reg = ntohl(nla_get_be32(nla));
+	if (reg == NFT_REG_VERDICT)
+		type = NFT_DATA_VERDICT;
+	else
+		type = NFT_DATA_VALUE;
+
+	return type;
+}
+
 static int nft_immediate_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
 			      const struct nft_expr *expr,
 			      const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
 	struct nft_immediate_expr *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
-	struct nft_data_desc desc;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc = {
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data),
+	};
 	int err;
 
 	if (tb[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DREG] == NULL ||
 	    tb[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DATA] == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(ctx, &priv->data, sizeof(priv->data), &desc,
-			    tb[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DATA]);
+	desc.type = nft_reg_to_type(tb[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DREG]);
+	err = nft_data_init(ctx, &priv->data, &desc, tb[NFTA_IMMEDIATE_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_range.c b/net/netfilter/nft_range.c
index 66f77484c227..832f0d725a9e 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nft_range.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nft_range.c
@@ -51,7 +51,14 @@ static int nft_range_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr
 			const struct nlattr * const tb[])
 {
 	struct nft_range_expr *priv = nft_expr_priv(expr);
-	struct nft_data_desc desc_from, desc_to;
+	struct nft_data_desc desc_from = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data_from),
+	};
+	struct nft_data_desc desc_to = {
+		.type	= NFT_DATA_VALUE,
+		.size	= sizeof(priv->data_to),
+	};
 	int err;
 	u32 op;
 
@@ -61,26 +68,16 @@ static int nft_range_init(const struct nft_ctx *ctx, const struct nft_expr *expr
 	    !tb[NFTA_RANGE_TO_DATA])
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data_from, sizeof(priv->data_from),
-			    &desc_from, tb[NFTA_RANGE_FROM_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data_from, &desc_from,
+			    tb[NFTA_RANGE_FROM_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	if (desc_from.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto err1;
-	}
-
-	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data_to, sizeof(priv->data_to),
-			    &desc_to, tb[NFTA_RANGE_TO_DATA]);
+	err = nft_data_init(NULL, &priv->data_to, &desc_to,
+			    tb[NFTA_RANGE_TO_DATA]);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto err1;
 
-	if (desc_to.type != NFT_DATA_VALUE) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto err2;
-	}
-
 	if (desc_from.len != desc_to.len) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
 		goto err2;
