diff --git a/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h b/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
index 36b65797877d..bba5a727c651 100644
--- a/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
+++ b/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
@@ -1197,6 +1197,8 @@ static inline void bpf_trampoline_unpack_key(u64 key, u32 *obj_id, u32 *btf_id)
 
 int bpf_prepare_btf_info(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
 			 const union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr);
+int bpf_check_core_relo(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
+			const union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr);
 int bpf_check_btf_info(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
 		       const union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr);
 
diff --git a/kernel/bpf/check_btf.c b/kernel/bpf/check_btf.c
index 0e8b3ccc7a5b..4c1ed842f661 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/check_btf.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/check_btf.c
@@ -338,9 +338,9 @@ static int check_btf_line(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
 #define MIN_CORE_RELO_SIZE	sizeof(struct bpf_core_relo)
 #define MAX_CORE_RELO_SIZE	MAX_FUNCINFO_REC_SIZE
 
-static int check_core_relo(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
-			   const union bpf_attr *attr,
-			   bpfptr_t uattr)
+int bpf_check_core_relo(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
+			const union bpf_attr *attr,
+			bpfptr_t uattr)
 {
 	u32 i, nr_core_relo, ncopy, expected_size, rec_size;
 	struct bpf_core_relo core_relo = {};
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ int bpf_prepare_btf_info(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
 	struct btf *btf;
 	int err;
 
-	if (!attr->func_info_cnt && !attr->line_info_cnt) {
+	if (!attr->func_info_cnt && !attr->line_info_cnt && !attr->core_relo_cnt) {
 		if (check_abnormal_return(env))
 			return -EINVAL;
 		return 0;
@@ -455,9 +455,5 @@ int bpf_check_btf_info(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	err = check_core_relo(env, attr, uattr);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
-
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 5d7080c260d8..33161dc64568 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -21199,6 +21199,11 @@ int bpf_check(struct bpf_prog **prog, union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr,
 	ret = bpf_diag_init(env);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_prep;
+	if (env->prog->insnsi[env->prog->len - 1].code == (BPF_LD | BPF_IMM | BPF_DW)) {
+		verbose(env, "invalid bpf_ld_imm64 insn\n");
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto err_prep;
+	}
 	if (env->signature) {
 		ret = bpf_prog_calc_tag(env->prog);
 		if (ret < 0)
@@ -21274,6 +21279,11 @@ int bpf_check(struct bpf_prog **prog, union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr,
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto skip_full_check;
 
+	/* Apply CO-RE before validating the program's instruction layout. */
+	ret = bpf_check_core_relo(env, attr, uattr);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto skip_full_check;
+
 	/* Discover all subprograms before validating their layout and BTF. */
 	ret = add_subprogs(env);
 	if (ret < 0)
@@ -21283,7 +21293,7 @@ int bpf_check(struct bpf_prog **prog, union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr,
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto skip_full_check;
 
-	/* Validate BTF against the complete subprogram layout and apply CO-RE. */
+	/* Validate BTF against the complete subprogram layout. */
 	ret = bpf_check_btf_info(env, attr, uattr);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto skip_full_check;