diff --git a/usr.sbin/ctld/ctld.c b/usr.sbin/ctld/ctld.c
--- a/usr.sbin/ctld/ctld.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/ctld/ctld.c
@@ -2113,7 +2113,7 @@
 	/*
 	 * Now add new ports or modify existing ones.
 	 */
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(newport, &newconf->conf_ports, p_next) {
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(newport, &newconf->conf_ports, p_next, tmpport) {
 		if (port_is_dummy(newport))
 			continue;
 		oldport = port_find(oldconf, newport->p_name);
@@ -2130,6 +2130,8 @@
 			log_warnx("failed to %s port %s",
 			    (oldport == NULL) ? "add" : "update",
 			    newport->p_name);
+			if (oldport == NULL || port_is_dummy(oldport))
+				port_delete(newport);
 			/*
 			 * XXX: Uncomment after fixing the root cause.
 			 *