diff --git a/iptables/nft.c b/iptables/nft.c
index 501c6d8..49322bd 100644
--- a/iptables/nft.c
+++ b/iptables/nft.c
@@ -436,6 +436,9 @@
 	struct nft_table *t;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (_t->initialized)
+		return 0;
+
 	t = nft_table_alloc();
 	if (t == NULL)
 		return -1;
@@ -464,6 +467,10 @@
 		if (errno != EEXIST)
 			perror("mnl-talk:nft_table_init_one");
 	}
+
+	if (ret == 0 || errno == EEXIST)
+		_t->initialized = true;
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -2414,6 +2421,9 @@
 	uint32_t table_family, chain_family;
 	bool found = false;
 
+	if (h->restore)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (xtables_config_parse(filename, table_list, chain_list) < 0) {
 		if (errno == ENOENT) {
 			xtables_config_perror(flags,
diff --git a/iptables/nft.h b/iptables/nft.h
index 3b58d51..c31371c 100644
--- a/iptables/nft.h
+++ b/iptables/nft.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 struct builtin_table {
 	const char *name;
 	struct builtin_chain chains[NF_INET_NUMHOOKS];
+	bool initialized;
 };
 
 struct nft_handle {