diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index ea9b8158c20d..ac54ebc0629f 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -3054,9 +3054,15 @@ static bool prog_needs_vmlinux_btf(struct bpf_program *prog)
 	return false;
 }
 
+static bool map_needs_vmlinux_btf(struct bpf_map *map)
+{
+	return bpf_map__is_struct_ops(map);
+}
+
 static bool obj_needs_vmlinux_btf(const struct bpf_object *obj)
 {
 	struct bpf_program *prog;
+	struct bpf_map *map;
 	int i;
 
 	/* CO-RE relocations need kernel BTF, only when btf_custom_path
@@ -3081,6 +3087,11 @@ static bool obj_needs_vmlinux_btf(const struct bpf_object *obj)
 			return true;
 	}
 
+	bpf_object__for_each_map(map, obj) {
+		if (map_needs_vmlinux_btf(map))
+			return true;
+	}
+
 	return false;
 }