diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index f32fa51b1e63e..d26e1407e4af0 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -6691,6 +6691,9 @@ int bpf_object__unload(struct bpf_object *obj)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+__attribute__((alias("bpf_object__unload")))
+static int bpf_object_unload(struct bpf_object *obj);
+
 static int bpf_object__sanitize_maps(struct bpf_object *obj)
 {
 	struct bpf_map *m;
@@ -7089,7 +7092,7 @@ int bpf_object__load_xattr(struct bpf_object_load_attr *attr)
 		if (obj->maps[i].pinned && !obj->maps[i].reused)
 			bpf_map__unpin(&obj->maps[i], NULL);
 
-	bpf_object__unload(obj);
+	bpf_object_unload(obj);
 	pr_warn("failed to load object '%s'\n", obj->path);
 	return libbpf_err(err);
 }
@@ -7698,7 +7701,7 @@ void bpf_object__close(struct bpf_object *obj)
 
 	bpf_gen__free(obj->gen_loader);
 	bpf_object__elf_finish(obj);
-	bpf_object__unload(obj);
+	bpf_object_unload(obj);
 	btf__free(obj->btf);
 	btf_ext__free(obj->btf_ext);
 
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index e35490c54eb3a..ada0388ca1f2b 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ struct bpf_object_load_attr {
 /* Load/unload object into/from kernel */
 LIBBPF_API int bpf_object__load(struct bpf_object *obj);
 LIBBPF_API int bpf_object__load_xattr(struct bpf_object_load_attr *attr);
+LIBBPF_DEPRECATED_SINCE(0, 7, "bpf_object__unload() is deprecated, use bpf_object__close() instead")
 LIBBPF_API int bpf_object__unload(struct bpf_object *obj);
 
 LIBBPF_API const char *bpf_object__name(const struct bpf_object *obj);