diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 5922443063f0..0f9f06df49bc 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -2035,7 +2035,7 @@ int bpf_prog_load_xattr(const struct bpf_prog_load_attr *attr,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	obj = bpf_object__open(attr->file);
-	if (IS_ERR(obj))
+	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(obj))
 		return -ENOENT;
 
 	bpf_object__for_each_program(prog, obj) {