diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 313034117070..28baee7ba1ca 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -560,8 +560,6 @@ bpf_object__init_prog(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_program *prog,
 		      const char *name, size_t sec_idx, const char *sec_name,
 		      size_t sec_off, void *insn_data, size_t insn_data_sz)
 {
-	int i;
-
 	if (insn_data_sz == 0 || insn_data_sz % BPF_INSN_SZ || sec_off % BPF_INSN_SZ) {
 		pr_warn("sec '%s': corrupted program '%s', offset %zu, size %zu\n",
 			sec_name, name, sec_off, insn_data_sz);
@@ -600,13 +598,6 @@ bpf_object__init_prog(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_program *prog,
 		goto errout;
 	memcpy(prog->insns, insn_data, insn_data_sz);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < prog->insns_cnt; i++) {
-		if (insn_is_subprog_call(&prog->insns[i])) {
-			obj->has_subcalls = true;
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
 	return 0;
 errout:
 	pr_warn("sec '%s': failed to allocate memory for prog '%s'\n", sec_name, name);
@@ -3280,7 +3271,19 @@ bpf_object__find_program_by_title(const struct bpf_object *obj,
 static bool prog_is_subprog(const struct bpf_object *obj,
 			    const struct bpf_program *prog)
 {
-	return prog->sec_idx == obj->efile.text_shndx && obj->has_subcalls;
+	/* For legacy reasons, libbpf supports an entry-point BPF programs
+	 * without SEC() attribute, i.e., those in the .text section. But if
+	 * there are 2 or more such programs in the .text section, they all
+	 * must be subprograms called from entry-point BPF programs in
+	 * designated SEC()'tions, otherwise there is no way to distinguish
+	 * which of those programs should be loaded vs which are a subprogram.
+	 * Similarly, if there is a function/program in .text and at least one
+	 * other BPF program with custom SEC() attribute, then we just assume
+	 * .text programs are subprograms (even if they are not called from
+	 * other programs), because libbpf never explicitly supported mixing
+	 * SEC()-designated BPF programs and .text entry-point BPF programs.
+	 */
+	return prog->sec_idx == obj->efile.text_shndx && obj->nr_programs > 1;
 }
 
 struct bpf_program *
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/subprogs.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/subprogs.c
index a00abf58c037..3f3d2ac4dd57 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/subprogs.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/subprogs.c
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 #include <test_progs.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include "test_subprogs.skel.h"
+#include "test_subprogs_unused.skel.h"
 
 static int duration;
 
 void test_subprogs(void)
 {
 	struct test_subprogs *skel;
+	struct test_subprogs_unused *skel2;
 	int err;
 
 	skel = test_subprogs__open_and_load();
@@ -26,6 +28,10 @@ void test_subprogs(void)
 	CHECK(skel->bss->res3 != 19, "res3", "got %d, exp %d\n", skel->bss->res3, 19);
 	CHECK(skel->bss->res4 != 36, "res4", "got %d, exp %d\n", skel->bss->res4, 36);
 
+	skel2 = test_subprogs_unused__open_and_load();
+	ASSERT_OK_PTR(skel2, "unused_progs_skel");
+	test_subprogs_unused__destroy(skel2);
+
 cleanup:
 	test_subprogs__destroy(skel);
 }
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_subprogs_unused.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_subprogs_unused.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..75d975f8cf90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_subprogs_unused.c
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#include "vmlinux.h"
+#include <bpf/bpf_helpers.h>
+#include <bpf/bpf_core_read.h>
+
+const char LICENSE[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
+
+__attribute__((maybe_unused)) __noinline int unused1(int x)
+{
+	return x + 1;
+}
+
+static __attribute__((maybe_unused)) __noinline int unused2(int x)
+{
+	return x + 2;
+}
+
+SEC("raw_tp/sys_enter")
+int main_prog(void *ctx)
+{
+	return 0;
+}