static int connect_flow_table(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, struct mlx5_flow_table *ft,
                              struct fs_prio *prio)
 {
-       struct mlx5_flow_table *next_ft;
+       struct mlx5_flow_table *next_ft, *first_ft;
        int err = 0;
 
        /* Connect_prev_fts and update_root_ft_create are mutually exclusive */
 
-       if (list_empty(&prio->node.children)) {
+       first_ft = list_first_entry_or_null(&prio->node.children,
+                                           struct mlx5_flow_table, node.list);
+       if (!first_ft || first_ft->level > ft->level) {
                err = connect_prev_fts(dev, ft, prio);
                if (err)
                        return err;
 
-               next_ft = find_next_chained_ft(prio);
+               next_ft = first_ft ? first_ft : find_next_chained_ft(prio);
                err = connect_fwd_rules(dev, ft, next_ft);
                if (err)
                        return err;
                                node.list) == ft))
                return 0;
 
-       next_ft = find_next_chained_ft(prio);
+       next_ft = find_next_ft(ft);
        err = connect_fwd_rules(dev, next_ft, ft);
        if (err)
                return err;