diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 7f10dd501a52bbb03e95c95f0991df2390e5eca5..fdb3536afa7d8813101a59bdc5504b850e8a6bfb 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -11795,6 +11795,9 @@ void bpf_object__detach_skeleton(struct bpf_object_skeleton *s)
 
 void bpf_object__destroy_skeleton(struct bpf_object_skeleton *s)
 {
+	if (!s)
+		return;
+
 	if (s->progs)
 		bpf_object__detach_skeleton(s);
 	if (s->obj)