Some conservative Liberals want a say in negotiations Malcolm Turnbull is having with crossbenchers over forming a government.
Disgruntled Liberal MPs have been warned any attempt to undermine the authority of Malcolm Turnbull threatens the prime minister's chances of forming a new government.
Three days after an inconclusive election, the coalition remains in the box seat to win a slim majority or negotiate minority government with up to five crossbenchers.
But some conservative Liberals want coalition MPs to have a say in those negotiations, worried Mr Turnbull will sell them out to preserve his own position.
Attorney-General George Brandis has warned his colleagues that sniping at Mr Turnbull threatens to undermine the prime minister's ability to bargain with independents.
"Stability is always better than instability, discipline is always better than indiscipline, playing a team game is always better than self-indulgence," he told ABC radio on Tuesday.
Fellow cabinet minister Simon Birmingham acknowledged there was disappointment at the election result.
"But we have held onto government, which it didn't look like we would do 12 months ago," he told ABC TV.
