diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index f5eb60379c8d9d005587bc1e1c85daf4c28d167b..d5b830d606010ad33fd780a514e3684f07d92506 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -838,6 +838,8 @@ static int bpf_object__elf_collect(struct bpf_object *obj, int flags)
 			if (IS_ERR(obj->btf) || btf__load(obj->btf)) {
 				pr_warning("Error loading ELF section %s: %ld. Ignored and continue.\n",
 					   BTF_ELF_SEC, PTR_ERR(obj->btf));
+				if (!IS_ERR(obj->btf))
+					btf__free(obj->btf);
 				obj->btf = NULL;
 			}
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_EXT_ELF_SEC) == 0) {