diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
index 10911a8cad0f2..2df880cefdaee 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
@@ -1649,11 +1649,17 @@ static bool btf_is_non_static(const struct btf_type *t)
 static int find_glob_sym_btf(struct src_obj *obj, Elf64_Sym *sym, const char *sym_name,
 			     int *out_btf_sec_id, int *out_btf_id)
 {
-	int i, j, n = btf__get_nr_types(obj->btf), m, btf_id = 0;
+	int i, j, n, m, btf_id = 0;
 	const struct btf_type *t;
 	const struct btf_var_secinfo *vi;
 	const char *name;
 
+	if (!obj->btf) {
+		pr_warn("failed to find BTF info for object '%s'\n", obj->filename);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	n = btf__get_nr_types(obj->btf);
 	for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
 		t = btf__type_by_id(obj->btf, i);