diff --git a/kernel/bpf/btf.c b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
index c9d4b709380c..0630675377aa 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
@@ -5397,7 +5397,7 @@ static int btf_datasec_resolve(struct btf_verifier_env *env,
 
 	env->resolve_mode = RESOLVE_TBD;
 	for_each_vsi_from(i, v->next_member, v->t, vsi) {
-		u32 var_type_id = vsi->type, type_id, type_size = 0;
+		u32 var_type_id = vsi->type, type_id;
 		const struct btf_type *var_type = btf_type_by_id(env->btf,
 								 var_type_id);
 		if (!var_type || !btf_type_is_var(var_type)) {
@@ -5412,16 +5412,16 @@ static int btf_datasec_resolve(struct btf_verifier_env *env,
 			return env_stack_push(env, var_type, var_type_id);
 		}
 
+		/*
+		 * The variable can be smaller than its type. It's a piece of
+		 * a variable that the compiler split then, with the type of
+		 * the whole variable.
+		 */
 		type_id = var_type->type;
-		if (!btf_type_id_size(btf, &type_id, &type_size)) {
+		if (!btf_type_id_size(btf, &type_id, NULL)) {
 			btf_verifier_log_vsi(env, v->t, vsi, "Invalid type");
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
-
-		if (vsi->size < type_size) {
-			btf_verifier_log_vsi(env, v->t, vsi, "Invalid size");
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
 	}
 
 	env_stack_pop_resolved(env, 0, 0);
@@ -5434,6 +5434,16 @@ static void btf_datasec_log(struct btf_verifier_env *env,
 	btf_verifier_log(env, "size=%u vlen=%u", t->size, btf_type_vlen(t));
 }
 
+/* A piece of a variable is smaller than its type, which is the one of the whole variable */
+static bool btf_var_is_piece(const struct btf *btf, const struct btf_type *var,
+			     const struct btf_var_secinfo *vsi)
+{
+	u32 size;
+
+	return IS_ERR(btf_resolve_size(btf, btf_type_by_id(btf, var->type), &size)) ||
+	       vsi->size < size;
+}
+
 static void btf_datasec_show(const struct btf *btf,
 			     const struct btf_type *t, u32 type_id,
 			     void *data, u8 bits_offset,
@@ -5441,6 +5451,7 @@ static void btf_datasec_show(const struct btf *btf,
 {
 	const struct btf_var_secinfo *vsi;
 	const struct btf_type *var;
+	bool comma = false;
 	u32 i;
 
 	if (!btf_show_start_type(show, t, type_id, data))
@@ -5450,8 +5461,12 @@ static void btf_datasec_show(const struct btf *btf,
 			    __btf_name_by_offset(btf, t->name_off));
 	for_each_vsi(i, t, vsi) {
 		var = btf_type_by_id(btf, vsi->type);
-		if (i)
+		/* there is less data than the type takes */
+		if (btf_var_is_piece(btf, var, vsi))
+			continue;
+		if (comma)
 			btf_show(show, ",");
+		comma = true;
 		btf_type_ops(var)->show(btf, var, vsi->type,
 					data + vsi->offset, bits_offset, show);
 	}
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf.c
index 642800b80c74..24ab62b2834a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf.c
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ static struct btf_raw_test raw_tests[] = {
 	.err_str = "Invalid type",
 },
 {
-	.descr = "global data test #8, invalid var size",
+	.descr = "global data test #8, var is smaller than its type",
 	.raw_types = {
 		/* int */
 		BTF_TYPE_INT_ENC(0, BTF_INT_SIGNED, 0, 32, 4),	/* [1] */
@@ -457,8 +457,6 @@ static struct btf_raw_test raw_tests[] = {
 	.key_type_id = 0,
 	.value_type_id = 7,
 	.max_entries = 1,
-	.btf_load_err = true,
-	.err_str = "Invalid size",
 },
 {
 	.descr = "global data test #9, invalid var size",
@@ -498,7 +496,7 @@ static struct btf_raw_test raw_tests[] = {
 	.err_str = "Invalid size",
 },
 {
-	.descr = "global data test #10, invalid var size",
+	.descr = "global data test #10, section is smaller than map value",
 	.raw_types = {
 		/* int */
 		BTF_TYPE_INT_ENC(0, BTF_INT_SIGNED, 0, 32, 4),	/* [1] */
@@ -531,8 +529,7 @@ static struct btf_raw_test raw_tests[] = {
 	.key_type_id = 0,
 	.value_type_id = 7,
 	.max_entries = 1,
-	.btf_load_err = true,
-	.err_str = "Invalid size",
+	.map_create_err = true,
 },
 {
 	.descr = "global data test #11, multiple section members",