diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/Documentation/bpftool-prog.rst b/tools/bpf/bpftool/Documentation/bpftool-prog.rst
index 41723c6acaa6..e53e1ad2caf0 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/Documentation/bpftool-prog.rst
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/Documentation/bpftool-prog.rst
@@ -24,10 +24,19 @@ MAP COMMANDS
 |	**bpftool** **prog dump xlated** *PROG* [{**file** *FILE* | **opcodes** | **visual**}]
 |	**bpftool** **prog dump jited**  *PROG* [{**file** *FILE* | **opcodes**}]
 |	**bpftool** **prog pin** *PROG* *FILE*
-|	**bpftool** **prog load** *OBJ* *FILE* [**dev** *NAME*]
+|	**bpftool** **prog load** *OBJ* *FILE* [**type** *TYPE*] [**dev** *NAME*]
 |	**bpftool** **prog help**
 |
 |	*PROG* := { **id** *PROG_ID* | **pinned** *FILE* | **tag** *PROG_TAG* }
+|	*TYPE* := {
+|		**socket** | **kprobe** | **kretprobe** | **classifier** | **action** |
+|		**tracepoint** | **raw_tracepoint** | **xdp** | **perf_event** | **cgroup/skb** |
+|		**cgroup/sock** | **cgroup/dev** | **lwt_in** | **lwt_out** | **lwt_xmit** |
+|		**lwt_seg6local** | **sockops** | **sk_skb** | **sk_msg** | **lirc_mode2** |
+|		**cgroup/bind4** | **cgroup/bind6** | **cgroup/post_bind4** | **cgroup/post_bind6** |
+|		**cgroup/connect4** | **cgroup/connect6** | **cgroup/sendmsg4** | **cgroup/sendmsg6**
+|	}
+
 
 DESCRIPTION
 ===========
@@ -64,8 +73,10 @@ DESCRIPTION
 
 		  Note: *FILE* must be located in *bpffs* mount.
 
-	**bpftool prog load** *OBJ* *FILE* [**dev** *NAME*]
+	**bpftool prog load** *OBJ* *FILE* [**type** *TYPE*] [**dev** *NAME*]
 		  Load bpf program from binary *OBJ* and pin as *FILE*.
+		  **type** is optional, if not specified program type will be
+		  inferred from section names.
 		  If **dev** *NAME* is specified program will be loaded onto
 		  given networking device (offload).
 
diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/bash-completion/bpftool b/tools/bpf/bpftool/bash-completion/bpftool
index 238c2f80092a..caf8711993be 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/bash-completion/bpftool
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/bash-completion/bpftool
@@ -274,11 +274,17 @@ _bpftool()
                     fi
 
                     case $prev in
+                        type)
+                            COMPREPLY=( $( compgen -W "socket kprobe kretprobe classifier action tracepoint raw_tracepoint xdp perf_event cgroup/skb cgroup/sock cgroup/dev lwt_in lwt_out lwt_xmit lwt_seg6local sockops sk_skb sk_msg lirc_mode2 cgroup/bind4 cgroup/bind6 cgroup/connect4 cgroup/connect6 cgroup/sendmsg4 cgroup/sendmsg6 cgroup/post_bind4 cgroup/post_bind6" -- \
+                                                   "$cur" ) )
+                            return 0
+                            ;;
                         dev)
                             _sysfs_get_netdevs
                             return 0
                             ;;
                         *)
+                            _bpftool_once_attr 'type'
                             _bpftool_once_attr 'dev'
                             return 0
                             ;;
diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c b/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
index 21c74de7156f..98695585bbb6 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
@@ -688,6 +688,7 @@ static int do_load(int argc, char **argv)
 	const char *objfile, *pinfile;
 	struct bpf_object *obj;
 	int prog_fd;
+	int err;
 
 	if (!REQ_ARGS(2))
 		return -1;
@@ -695,7 +696,37 @@ static int do_load(int argc, char **argv)
 	pinfile = GET_ARG();
 
 	while (argc) {
-		if (is_prefix(*argv, "dev")) {
+		if (is_prefix(*argv, "type")) {
+			char *type;
+
+			NEXT_ARG();
+
+			if (attr.prog_type != BPF_PROG_TYPE_UNSPEC) {
+				p_err("program type already specified");
+				return -1;
+			}
+			if (!REQ_ARGS(1))
+				return -1;
+
+			/* Put a '/' at the end of type to appease libbpf */
+			type = malloc(strlen(*argv) + 2);
+			if (!type) {
+				p_err("mem alloc failed");
+				return -1;
+			}
+			*type = 0;
+			strcat(type, *argv);
+			strcat(type, "/");
+
+			err = libbpf_prog_type_by_name(type, &attr.prog_type,
+						       &attr.expected_attach_type);
+			free(type);
+			if (err < 0) {
+				p_err("unknown program type '%s'", *argv);
+				return err;
+			}
+			NEXT_ARG();
+		} else if (is_prefix(*argv, "dev")) {
 			NEXT_ARG();
 
 			if (attr.ifindex) {
@@ -713,7 +744,7 @@ static int do_load(int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 			NEXT_ARG();
 		} else {
-			p_err("expected no more arguments or 'dev', got: '%s'?",
+			p_err("expected no more arguments, 'type' or 'dev', got: '%s'?",
 			      *argv);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -753,10 +784,17 @@ static int do_help(int argc, char **argv)
 		"       %s %s dump xlated PROG [{ file FILE | opcodes | visual }]\n"
 		"       %s %s dump jited  PROG [{ file FILE | opcodes }]\n"
 		"       %s %s pin   PROG FILE\n"
-		"       %s %s load  OBJ  FILE [dev NAME]\n"
+		"       %s %s load  OBJ  FILE [type TYPE] [dev NAME]\n"
 		"       %s %s help\n"
 		"\n"
 		"       " HELP_SPEC_PROGRAM "\n"
+		"       TYPE := { socket | kprobe | kretprobe | classifier | action |\n"
+		"                 tracepoint | raw_tracepoint | xdp | perf_event | cgroup/skb |\n"
+		"                 cgroup/sock | cgroup/dev | lwt_in | lwt_out | lwt_xmit |\n"
+		"                 lwt_seg6local | sockops | sk_skb | sk_msg | lirc_mode2 |\n"
+		"                 cgroup/bind4 | cgroup/bind6 | cgroup/post_bind4 |\n"
+		"                 cgroup/post_bind6 | cgroup/connect4 | cgroup/connect6 |\n"
+		"                 cgroup/sendmsg4 | cgroup/sendmsg6 }\n"
 		"       " HELP_SPEC_OPTIONS "\n"
 		"",
 		bin_name, argv[-2], bin_name, argv[-2], bin_name, argv[-2],