diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 1a787a2faf58..085e41f9b68e 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -3873,6 +3873,10 @@ static struct ids_vec *bpf_core_find_cands(const struct btf *local_btf,
 		if (str_is_empty(targ_name))
 			continue;
 
+		t = skip_mods_and_typedefs(targ_btf, i, NULL);
+		if (!btf_is_composite(t) && !btf_is_array(t))
+			continue;
+
 		targ_essent_len = bpf_core_essential_name_len(targ_name);
 		if (targ_essent_len != local_essent_len)
 			continue;