diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/trace_helpers.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/trace_helpers.c
index dc4efaf538ae..4faa898ff7fc 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/trace_helpers.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/trace_helpers.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <poll.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <linux/perf_event.h>
 #include <sys/mman.h>
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ struct ksyms {
 };
 
 static struct ksyms *ksyms;
+static pthread_mutex_t ksyms_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 
 static int ksyms__add_symbol(struct ksyms *ksyms, const char *name,
 			     unsigned long addr)
@@ -109,8 +111,10 @@ struct ksyms *load_kallsyms_local(void)
 
 int load_kallsyms(void)
 {
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&ksyms_mutex);
 	if (!ksyms)
 		ksyms = load_kallsyms_local();
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&ksyms_mutex);
 	return ksyms ? 0 : 1;
 }