diff --git a/kernel/bpf/btf.c b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
index 3edf141cc146164433e3a650d15299c9230ed275..86e062b3e32a12fd985b05806064f48a2d4f6948 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
@@ -4172,7 +4172,7 @@ static int btf_parse_hdr(struct btf_verifier_env *env)
 		return -ENOTSUPP;
 	}
 
-	if (btf_data_size == hdr->hdr_len) {
+	if (!btf->base_btf && btf_data_size == hdr->hdr_len) {
 		btf_verifier_log(env, "No data");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}