diff --git a/libs/api/ebpf_api.cpp b/libs/api/ebpf_api.cpp
index cc66f3244f..8941d56a4b 100644
--- a/libs/api/ebpf_api.cpp
+++ b/libs/api/ebpf_api.cpp
@@ -1727,6 +1727,7 @@ _initialize_ebpf_object_from_native_file(
         program->handle = ebpf_handle_invalid;
         program->program_type = info->program_type;
         program->attach_type = info->expected_attach_type;
+        program->fd = ebpf_fd_invalid;
 
         program->section_name = ebpf_duplicate_string(info->section_name);
         if (program->section_name == nullptr) {
@@ -1754,16 +1755,16 @@ _initialize_ebpf_object_from_native_file(
 
 Exit:
     if (result != EBPF_SUCCESS) {
-        if (program && object.programs.size() == 0) {
-            ebpf_free(program->section_name);
-            ebpf_free(program->program_name);
+        if (program) {
+            // Deallocate program, if it was allocated but not added to
+            // the object programs vector.
+            clean_up_ebpf_program(program);
         }
 
         clean_up_ebpf_programs(object.programs);
         clean_up_ebpf_maps(object.maps);
     }
 
-    ebpf_free(program);
     ebpf_free_sections(infos);
     EBPF_RETURN_RESULT(result);
 }