diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index ff3c0ee79d85e15bc48bc3cef6e5fb4ab01105e4..d30e3282bfc7fd7fdbb31f34bf9e3f3c07ed47e9 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -8810,7 +8810,7 @@ int bpf_prog_load_xattr(const struct bpf_prog_load_attr *attr,
 
 struct bpf_link {
 	int (*detach)(struct bpf_link *link);
-	int (*destroy)(struct bpf_link *link);
+	void (*dealloc)(struct bpf_link *link);
 	char *pin_path;		/* NULL, if not pinned */
 	int fd;			/* hook FD, -1 if not applicable */
 	bool disconnected;
@@ -8849,11 +8849,12 @@ int bpf_link__destroy(struct bpf_link *link)
 
 	if (!link->disconnected && link->detach)
 		err = link->detach(link);
-	if (link->destroy)
-		link->destroy(link);
 	if (link->pin_path)
 		free(link->pin_path);
-	free(link);
+	if (link->dealloc)
+		link->dealloc(link);
+	else
+		free(link);
 
 	return libbpf_err(err);
 }