diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 6f0c13a1fb3c..9e446081fb1c 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -11,8 +11,12 @@
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <asm/unistd.h>
 #include <linux/bpf.h>
+#include <libelf.h>
+#include <gelf.h>
 
 #include "libbpf.h"
 
@@ -52,3 +56,157 @@ void libbpf_set_print(libbpf_print_fn_t warn,
 	__pr_info = info;
 	__pr_debug = debug;
 }
+
+/* Copied from tools/perf/util/util.h */
+#ifndef zfree
+# define zfree(ptr) ({ free(*ptr); *ptr = NULL; })
+#endif
+
+#ifndef zclose
+# define zclose(fd) ({			\
+	int ___err = 0;			\
+	if ((fd) >= 0)			\
+		___err = close((fd));	\
+	fd = -1;			\
+	___err; })
+#endif
+
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBELF_MMAP_SUPPORT
+# define LIBBPF_ELF_C_READ_MMAP ELF_C_READ_MMAP
+#else
+# define LIBBPF_ELF_C_READ_MMAP ELF_C_READ
+#endif
+
+struct bpf_object {
+	/*
+	 * Information when doing elf related work. Only valid if fd
+	 * is valid.
+	 */
+	struct {
+		int fd;
+		Elf *elf;
+		GElf_Ehdr ehdr;
+	} efile;
+	char path[];
+};
+#define obj_elf_valid(o)	((o)->efile.elf)
+
+static struct bpf_object *bpf_object__new(const char *path)
+{
+	struct bpf_object *obj;
+
+	obj = calloc(1, sizeof(struct bpf_object) + strlen(path) + 1);
+	if (!obj) {
+		pr_warning("alloc memory failed for %s\n", path);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	strcpy(obj->path, path);
+	obj->efile.fd = -1;
+	return obj;
+}
+
+static void bpf_object__elf_finish(struct bpf_object *obj)
+{
+	if (!obj_elf_valid(obj))
+		return;
+
+	if (obj->efile.elf) {
+		elf_end(obj->efile.elf);
+		obj->efile.elf = NULL;
+	}
+	zclose(obj->efile.fd);
+}
+
+static int bpf_object__elf_init(struct bpf_object *obj)
+{
+	int err = 0;
+	GElf_Ehdr *ep;
+
+	if (obj_elf_valid(obj)) {
+		pr_warning("elf init: internal error\n");
+		return -EEXIST;
+	}
+
+	obj->efile.fd = open(obj->path, O_RDONLY);
+	if (obj->efile.fd < 0) {
+		pr_warning("failed to open %s: %s\n", obj->path,
+				strerror(errno));
+		return -errno;
+	}
+
+	obj->efile.elf = elf_begin(obj->efile.fd,
+				 LIBBPF_ELF_C_READ_MMAP,
+				 NULL);
+	if (!obj->efile.elf) {
+		pr_warning("failed to open %s as ELF file\n",
+				obj->path);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto errout;
+	}
+
+	if (!gelf_getehdr(obj->efile.elf, &obj->efile.ehdr)) {
+		pr_warning("failed to get EHDR from %s\n",
+				obj->path);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto errout;
+	}
+	ep = &obj->efile.ehdr;
+
+	if ((ep->e_type != ET_REL) || (ep->e_machine != 0)) {
+		pr_warning("%s is not an eBPF object file\n",
+			obj->path);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto errout;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+errout:
+	bpf_object__elf_finish(obj);
+	return err;
+}
+
+static struct bpf_object *
+__bpf_object__open(const char *path)
+{
+	struct bpf_object *obj;
+
+	if (elf_version(EV_CURRENT) == EV_NONE) {
+		pr_warning("failed to init libelf for %s\n", path);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	obj = bpf_object__new(path);
+	if (!obj)
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (bpf_object__elf_init(obj))
+		goto out;
+
+	bpf_object__elf_finish(obj);
+	return obj;
+out:
+	bpf_object__close(obj);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+struct bpf_object *bpf_object__open(const char *path)
+{
+	/* param validation */
+	if (!path)
+		return NULL;
+
+	pr_debug("loading %s\n", path);
+
+	return __bpf_object__open(path);
+}
+
+void bpf_object__close(struct bpf_object *obj)
+{
+	if (!obj)
+		return;
+
+	bpf_object__elf_finish(obj);
+
+	free(obj);
+}
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index 8d1eebafa958..ec3301ceeb85 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #ifndef __BPF_LIBBPF_H
 #define __BPF_LIBBPF_H
 
+#include <stdio.h>
+
 /*
  * In include/linux/compiler-gcc.h, __printf is defined. However
  * it should be better if libbpf.h doesn't depend on Linux header file.
@@ -20,4 +22,10 @@ void libbpf_set_print(libbpf_print_fn_t warn,
 		      libbpf_print_fn_t info,
 		      libbpf_print_fn_t debug);
 
+/* Hide internal to user */
+struct bpf_object;
+
+struct bpf_object *bpf_object__open(const char *path);
+void bpf_object__close(struct bpf_object *object);
+
 #endif