diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index d5b830d60601..5e977d2688da 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -835,12 +835,19 @@ static int bpf_object__elf_collect(struct bpf_object *obj, int flags)
 			obj->efile.maps_shndx = idx;
 		else if (strcmp(name, BTF_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
 			obj->btf = btf__new(data->d_buf, data->d_size);
-			if (IS_ERR(obj->btf) || btf__load(obj->btf)) {
+			if (IS_ERR(obj->btf)) {
 				pr_warning("Error loading ELF section %s: %ld. Ignored and continue.\n",
 					   BTF_ELF_SEC, PTR_ERR(obj->btf));
-				if (!IS_ERR(obj->btf))
-					btf__free(obj->btf);
 				obj->btf = NULL;
+				continue;
+			}
+			err = btf__load(obj->btf);
+			if (err) {
+				pr_warning("Error loading %s into kernel: %d. Ignored and continue.\n",
+					   BTF_ELF_SEC, err);
+				btf__free(obj->btf);
+				obj->btf = NULL;
+				err = 0;
 			}
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_EXT_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
 			btf_ext_data = data;