diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index 4dd64069c434..42bfe30a3b51 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -2038,7 +2038,12 @@ const u8 *dso__read_symbol(struct dso *dso, const char *symfs_filename,
 			errno = SYMBOL_ANNOTATE_ERRNO__BPF_MISSING_BTF;
 			return NULL;
 		}
-		assert(len <= info_linear->info.jited_prog_len);
+		if (len > info_linear->info.jited_prog_len) {
+			pr_debug("BPF symbol length %zu exceeds jited_prog_len %u\n",
+				 len, info_linear->info.jited_prog_len);
+			errno = SYMBOL_ANNOTATE_ERRNO__BPF_MISSING_BTF;
+			return NULL;
+		}
 		*out_buf_len = len;
 		return (const u8 *)(uintptr_t)(info_linear->info.jited_prog_insns);
 #else