diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
index c1427bf08..f36e703eb 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Tc.pm
@@ -1451,15 +1451,7 @@ sub process_tc_priority() {
 
     fatal_error "Invalid PRIORITY ($band)" unless $val && $val <= 3;
 
-    my $rule;
-
-    unless ( $helper eq '-' ) {
-	fatal_error( "A PROTO is required when a HELPER is specified" ) if $proto eq '-';
-	fatal_error( "Unknown protocol" ) unless defined resolve_protocol( $proto );
-	$rule = do_helper( $helper ) . "-j MARK --set-mark $band";
-    } else {
-	$rule = '';
-    }
+    my $rule = do_helper( $helper ) . "-j MARK --set-mark $band";
 
     $rule .= join('', '/', in_hex( $globals{TC_MASK} ) ) if have_capability( 'EXMARK' );