diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
index 09cd612cf00a..2b5a5680f09a 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
@@ -1360,8 +1360,8 @@ static int mptcp_nl_cmd_add_addr(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
-	if (addr.addr.port && !(addr.flags & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_SIGNAL)) {
-		GENL_SET_ERR_MSG(info, "flags must have signal when using port");
+	if (addr.addr.port && !address_use_port(&addr)) {
+		GENL_SET_ERR_MSG(info, "flags must have signal and not subflow when using port");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}