diff --git a/internal/nftables/compiler.go b/internal/nftables/compiler.go
index 2fc1e4d..9bd47eb 100644
--- a/internal/nftables/compiler.go
+++ b/internal/nftables/compiler.go
@@ -972,7 +972,19 @@ func l4Matches(proto string, dports, sports config.PortSpec) ([]l4Match, error)
 		if proto != "" && p == "" {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("empty element in proto list %q", proto)
 		}
-		isICMP := strings.EqualFold(p, "icmp") || strings.EqualFold(p, "icmpv6") || strings.EqualFold(p, "ipv6-icmp")
+		var pm []expr.Any
+		isICMP := false
+		if p != "" {
+			n, err := protoNumber(p)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			isICMP = n == unix.IPPROTO_ICMP || n == unix.IPPROTO_ICMPV6
+			if (len(dports) > 0 && !isICMP || len(sports) > 0) && !hasPorts(n) {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("protocol %q does not support ports", p)
+			}
+			pm = matchProtoNum(n)
+		}
 		parseD := parsePortOrRange
 		if isICMP {
 			if len(protos) > 1 && len(dports) > 0 {
@@ -980,14 +992,6 @@ func l4Matches(proto string, dports, sports config.PortSpec) ([]l4Match, error)
 			}
 			parseD = matchICMPType
 		}
-		var pm []expr.Any
-		if p != "" {
-			m, err := matchProto(p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			pm = m
-		}
 		dalts, err := portAlternatives(dports, parseD)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -1051,36 +1055,27 @@ func matchIfaceName(input bool, name string) []expr.Any {
 	}
 }
 
-func matchProto(proto string) ([]expr.Any, error) {
-	var protoNum byte
-	switch strings.ToLower(proto) {
-	case "tcp":
-		protoNum = unix.IPPROTO_TCP
-	case "udp":
-		protoNum = unix.IPPROTO_UDP
-	case "icmp":
-		protoNum = unix.IPPROTO_ICMP
-	case "icmpv6", "ipv6-icmp":
-		protoNum = unix.IPPROTO_ICMPV6
-	case "gre":
-		protoNum = 47
-	case "esp":
-		protoNum = 50
-	case "ah":
-		protoNum = 51
-	case "sctp":
-		protoNum = unix.IPPROTO_SCTP
-	default:
-		n, err := strconv.ParseUint(proto, 10, 8)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown protocol %q", proto)
-		}
-		protoNum = byte(n)
+var protoNumbers = map[string]byte{
+	"icmp": 1, "igmp": 2, "ipip": 4, "ipencap": 4, "tcp": 6, "udp": 17,
+	"gre": 47, "esp": 50, "ah": 51, "icmpv6": 58, "ipv6-icmp": 58,
+	"ospf": 89, "ospfigp": 89, "pim": 103, "vrrp": 112, "l2tp": 115,
+	"sctp": 132, "udplite": 136,
+}
+
+// protoNumber resolves a common IANA protocol name or a 0-255 number.
+func protoNumber(proto string) (byte, error) {
+	if n, ok := protoNumbers[strings.ToLower(proto)]; ok {
+		return n, nil
 	}
-	return []expr.Any{
-		&expr.Meta{Key: expr.MetaKeyL4PROTO, Register: 1},
-		&expr.Cmp{Op: expr.CmpOpEq, Register: 1, Data: []byte{protoNum}},
-	}, nil
+	n, err := strconv.ParseUint(proto, 10, 8)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("unknown protocol %q", proto)
+	}
+	return byte(n), nil
+}
+
+func hasPorts(proto byte) bool {
+	return proto == unix.IPPROTO_TCP || proto == unix.IPPROTO_UDP || proto == unix.IPPROTO_SCTP || proto == unix.IPPROTO_UDPLITE
 }
 
 func matchDPort(port uint16) []expr.Any {
diff --git a/internal/nftables/compiler_test.go b/internal/nftables/compiler_test.go
index 939c4a9..912ce65 100644
--- a/internal/nftables/compiler_test.go
+++ b/internal/nftables/compiler_test.go
@@ -1581,6 +1581,24 @@ func TestCompile_PortAndProtoLists(t *testing.T) {
 			chain: "prerouting",
 			want:  []want{{6, "53"}, {17, "53"}},
 		},
+		{
+			name:  "protocol names",
+			rule:  config.Rule{Action: config.RuleAccept, Source: "net", Dest: "fw", Proto: "ospf,OSPFIGP,igmp,gre,esp,ah,vrrp,pim,ipencap,ipv6-icmp"},
+			chain: "input",
+			want:  []want{{89, ""}, {89, ""}, {2, ""}, {47, ""}, {50, ""}, {51, ""}, {112, ""}, {103, ""}, {4, ""}, {58, ""}},
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "protocol numbers",
+			rule:  config.Rule{Action: config.RuleAccept, Source: "net", Dest: "fw", Proto: "0,89,255"},
+			chain: "input",
+			want:  []want{{0, ""}, {89, ""}, {255, ""}},
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "numeric tcp with port",
+			rule:  config.Rule{Action: config.RuleAccept, Source: "net", Dest: "fw", Proto: "6,udplite", DPort: config.PortSpec{"22"}},
+			chain: "input",
+			want:  []want{{6, "22"}, {136, "22"}},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -1724,6 +1742,9 @@ func TestCompile_ListErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		{"icmp code out of range", config.Rule{Proto: "icmp", DPort: config.PortSpec{"3/256"}}},
 		{"unknown proto in list", config.Rule{Proto: "tcp,udpp", DPort: config.PortSpec{"53"}}},
 		{"proto number out of range", config.Rule{Proto: "256"}},
+		{"unknown proto name", config.Rule{Proto: "bogus"}},
+		{"dport with ospf", config.Rule{Proto: "ospf", DPort: config.PortSpec{"80"}}},
+		{"sport with gre", config.Rule{Proto: "gre", SPort: config.PortSpec{"80"}}},
 		{"dport with icmp in proto list", config.Rule{Proto: "icmp,tcp", DPort: config.PortSpec{"80"}}},
 		{"ratelimit with port list", config.Rule{Proto: "tcp", DPort: config.PortSpec{"80,443"}, RateLimit: "10/sec"}},
 		{"connlimit with proto list", config.Rule{Proto: "tcp,udp", DPort: config.PortSpec{"53"}, ConnLimit: "10"}},