diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
index b52f71c59616..800e0ef09c37 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c
@@ -2163,7 +2163,7 @@ static int linker_append_elf_sym(struct bpf_linker *linker, struct src_obj *obj,
 
 	obj->sym_map[src_sym_idx] = dst_sym_idx;
 
-	if (sym_type == STT_SECTION && dst_sym) {
+	if (sym_type == STT_SECTION && dst_sec) {
 		dst_sec->sec_sym_idx = dst_sym_idx;
 		dst_sym->st_value = 0;
 	}