diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 88d8825fc6f61fb91a954656090d73288dac693a..e4f83c304ec9240580bbeda3b50df34e081b61c0 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -6894,7 +6894,8 @@ int bpf_object__load_xattr(struct bpf_object_load_attr *attr)
 
 	if (obj->gen_loader) {
 		/* reset FDs */
-		btf__set_fd(obj->btf, -1);
+		if (obj->btf)
+			btf__set_fd(obj->btf, -1);
 		for (i = 0; i < obj->nr_maps; i++)
 			obj->maps[i].fd = -1;
 		if (!err)