diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 955f8eafbf41e516810662b2c42e4556d800192f..afa9860db755d904a12cd8a4f7ff640c834691b9 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -1991,6 +1991,9 @@ int bpf_program__nth_fd(struct bpf_program *prog, int n)
 {
 	int fd;
 
+	if (!prog)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (n >= prog->instances.nr || n < 0) {
 		pr_warning("Can't get the %dth fd from program %s: only %d instances\n",
 			   n, prog->section_name, prog->instances.nr);