diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
index ba4ffa831aa4..88a52ae56fc6 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #define BTF_ELF_SEC ".BTF"
 #define BTF_EXT_ELF_SEC ".BTF.ext"
+#define MAPS_ELF_SEC ".maps"
 
 struct btf;
 struct btf_ext;
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index da942ab2f06a..585e3a2f1eb4 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ struct bpf_object {
 		} *reloc;
 		int nr_reloc;
 		int maps_shndx;
+		int btf_maps_shndx;
 		int text_shndx;
 		int data_shndx;
 		int rodata_shndx;
@@ -514,6 +515,7 @@ static struct bpf_object *bpf_object__new(const char *path,
 	obj->efile.obj_buf = obj_buf;
 	obj->efile.obj_buf_sz = obj_buf_sz;
 	obj->efile.maps_shndx = -1;
+	obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx = -1;
 	obj->efile.data_shndx = -1;
 	obj->efile.rodata_shndx = -1;
 	obj->efile.bss_shndx = -1;
@@ -1007,6 +1009,312 @@ static int bpf_object__init_user_maps(struct bpf_object *obj, bool strict)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static const struct btf_type *skip_mods_and_typedefs(const struct btf *btf,
+						     __u32 id)
+{
+	const struct btf_type *t = btf__type_by_id(btf, id);
+
+	while (true) {
+		switch (BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info)) {
+		case BTF_KIND_VOLATILE:
+		case BTF_KIND_CONST:
+		case BTF_KIND_RESTRICT:
+		case BTF_KIND_TYPEDEF:
+			t = btf__type_by_id(btf, t->type);
+			break;
+		default:
+			return t;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static bool get_map_field_int(const char *map_name,
+			      const struct btf *btf,
+			      const struct btf_type *def,
+			      const struct btf_member *m,
+			      const void *data, __u32 *res) {
+	const struct btf_type *t = skip_mods_and_typedefs(btf, m->type);
+	const char *name = btf__name_by_offset(btf, m->name_off);
+	__u32 int_info = *(const __u32 *)(const void *)(t + 1);
+
+	if (BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info) != BTF_KIND_INT) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': attr '%s': expected INT, got %u.\n",
+			   map_name, name, BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info));
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (t->size != 4 || BTF_INT_BITS(int_info) != 32 ||
+	    BTF_INT_OFFSET(int_info)) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': attr '%s': expected 32-bit non-bitfield integer, "
+			   "got %u-byte (%d-bit) one with bit offset %d.\n",
+			   map_name, name, t->size, BTF_INT_BITS(int_info),
+			   BTF_INT_OFFSET(int_info));
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (BTF_INFO_KFLAG(def->info) && BTF_MEMBER_BITFIELD_SIZE(m->offset)) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': attr '%s': bitfield is not supported.\n",
+			   map_name, name);
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (m->offset % 32) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': attr '%s': unaligned fields are not supported.\n",
+			   map_name, name);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	*res = *(const __u32 *)(data + m->offset / 8);
+	return true;
+}
+
+static int bpf_object__init_user_btf_map(struct bpf_object *obj,
+					 const struct btf_type *sec,
+					 int var_idx, int sec_idx,
+					 const Elf_Data *data, bool strict)
+{
+	const struct btf_type *var, *def, *t;
+	const struct btf_var_secinfo *vi;
+	const struct btf_var *var_extra;
+	const struct btf_member *m;
+	const void *def_data;
+	const char *map_name;
+	struct bpf_map *map;
+	int vlen, i;
+
+	vi = (const struct btf_var_secinfo *)(const void *)(sec + 1) + var_idx;
+	var = btf__type_by_id(obj->btf, vi->type);
+	var_extra = (const void *)(var + 1);
+	map_name = btf__name_by_offset(obj->btf, var->name_off);
+	vlen = BTF_INFO_VLEN(var->info);
+
+	if (map_name == NULL || map_name[0] == '\0') {
+		pr_warning("map #%d: empty name.\n", var_idx);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	if ((__u64)vi->offset + vi->size > data->d_size) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s' BTF data is corrupted.\n", map_name);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	if (BTF_INFO_KIND(var->info) != BTF_KIND_VAR) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': unexpected var kind %u.\n",
+			   map_name, BTF_INFO_KIND(var->info));
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	if (var_extra->linkage != BTF_VAR_GLOBAL_ALLOCATED &&
+	    var_extra->linkage != BTF_VAR_STATIC) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': unsupported var linkage %u.\n",
+			   map_name, var_extra->linkage);
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	}
+
+	def = skip_mods_and_typedefs(obj->btf, var->type);
+	if (BTF_INFO_KIND(def->info) != BTF_KIND_STRUCT) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': unexpected def kind %u.\n",
+			   map_name, BTF_INFO_KIND(var->info));
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	if (def->size > vi->size) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': invalid def size.\n", map_name);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	map = bpf_object__add_map(obj);
+	if (IS_ERR(map))
+		return PTR_ERR(map);
+	map->name = strdup(map_name);
+	if (!map->name) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': failed to alloc map name.\n", map_name);
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+	map->libbpf_type = LIBBPF_MAP_UNSPEC;
+	map->def.type = BPF_MAP_TYPE_UNSPEC;
+	map->sec_idx = sec_idx;
+	map->sec_offset = vi->offset;
+	pr_debug("map '%s': at sec_idx %d, offset %zu.\n",
+		 map_name, map->sec_idx, map->sec_offset);
+
+	def_data = data->d_buf + vi->offset;
+	vlen = BTF_INFO_VLEN(def->info);
+	m = (const void *)(def + 1);
+	for (i = 0; i < vlen; i++, m++) {
+		const char *name = btf__name_by_offset(obj->btf, m->name_off);
+
+		if (!name) {
+			pr_warning("map '%s': invalid field #%d.\n",
+				   map_name, i);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+		if (strcmp(name, "type") == 0) {
+			if (!get_map_field_int(map_name, obj->btf, def, m,
+					       def_data, &map->def.type))
+				return -EINVAL;
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found type = %u.\n",
+				 map_name, map->def.type);
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "max_entries") == 0) {
+			if (!get_map_field_int(map_name, obj->btf, def, m,
+					       def_data, &map->def.max_entries))
+				return -EINVAL;
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found max_entries = %u.\n",
+				 map_name, map->def.max_entries);
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "map_flags") == 0) {
+			if (!get_map_field_int(map_name, obj->btf, def, m,
+					       def_data, &map->def.map_flags))
+				return -EINVAL;
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found map_flags = %u.\n",
+				 map_name, map->def.map_flags);
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "key_size") == 0) {
+			__u32 sz;
+
+			if (!get_map_field_int(map_name, obj->btf, def, m,
+					       def_data, &sz))
+				return -EINVAL;
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found key_size = %u.\n",
+				 map_name, sz);
+			if (map->def.key_size && map->def.key_size != sz) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': conflictling key size %u != %u.\n",
+					   map_name, map->def.key_size, sz);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			map->def.key_size = sz;
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "key") == 0) {
+			__s64 sz;
+
+			t = btf__type_by_id(obj->btf, m->type);
+			if (!t) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': key type [%d] not found.\n",
+					   map_name, m->type);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			if (BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info) != BTF_KIND_PTR) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': key spec is not PTR: %u.\n",
+					   map_name, BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info));
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			sz = btf__resolve_size(obj->btf, t->type);
+			if (sz < 0) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': can't determine key size for type [%u]: %lld.\n",
+					   map_name, t->type, sz);
+				return sz;
+			}
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found key [%u], sz = %lld.\n",
+				 map_name, t->type, sz);
+			if (map->def.key_size && map->def.key_size != sz) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': conflictling key size %u != %lld.\n",
+					   map_name, map->def.key_size, sz);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			map->def.key_size = sz;
+			map->btf_key_type_id = t->type;
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "value_size") == 0) {
+			__u32 sz;
+
+			if (!get_map_field_int(map_name, obj->btf, def, m,
+					       def_data, &sz))
+				return -EINVAL;
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found value_size = %u.\n",
+				 map_name, sz);
+			if (map->def.value_size && map->def.value_size != sz) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': conflictling value size %u != %u.\n",
+					   map_name, map->def.value_size, sz);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			map->def.value_size = sz;
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "value") == 0) {
+			__s64 sz;
+
+			t = btf__type_by_id(obj->btf, m->type);
+			if (!t) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': value type [%d] not found.\n",
+					   map_name, m->type);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			if (BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info) != BTF_KIND_PTR) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': value spec is not PTR: %u.\n",
+					   map_name, BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info));
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			sz = btf__resolve_size(obj->btf, t->type);
+			if (sz < 0) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': can't determine value size for type [%u]: %lld.\n",
+					   map_name, t->type, sz);
+				return sz;
+			}
+			pr_debug("map '%s': found value [%u], sz = %lld.\n",
+				 map_name, t->type, sz);
+			if (map->def.value_size && map->def.value_size != sz) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': conflictling value size %u != %lld.\n",
+					   map_name, map->def.value_size, sz);
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
+			map->def.value_size = sz;
+			map->btf_value_type_id = t->type;
+		} else {
+			if (strict) {
+				pr_warning("map '%s': unknown field '%s'.\n",
+					   map_name, name);
+				return -ENOTSUP;
+			}
+			pr_debug("map '%s': ignoring unknown field '%s'.\n",
+				 map_name, name);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (map->def.type == BPF_MAP_TYPE_UNSPEC) {
+		pr_warning("map '%s': map type isn't specified.\n", map_name);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int bpf_object__init_user_btf_maps(struct bpf_object *obj, bool strict)
+{
+	const struct btf_type *sec = NULL;
+	int nr_types, i, vlen, err;
+	const struct btf_type *t;
+	const char *name;
+	Elf_Data *data;
+	Elf_Scn *scn;
+
+	if (obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx < 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	scn = elf_getscn(obj->efile.elf, obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx);
+	if (scn)
+		data = elf_getdata(scn, NULL);
+	if (!scn || !data) {
+		pr_warning("failed to get Elf_Data from map section %d (%s)\n",
+			   obj->efile.maps_shndx, MAPS_ELF_SEC);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	nr_types = btf__get_nr_types(obj->btf);
+	for (i = 1; i <= nr_types; i++) {
+		t = btf__type_by_id(obj->btf, i);
+		if (BTF_INFO_KIND(t->info) != BTF_KIND_DATASEC)
+			continue;
+		name = btf__name_by_offset(obj->btf, t->name_off);
+		if (strcmp(name, MAPS_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
+			sec = t;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!sec) {
+		pr_warning("DATASEC '%s' not found.\n", MAPS_ELF_SEC);
+		return -ENOENT;
+	}
+
+	vlen = BTF_INFO_VLEN(sec->info);
+	for (i = 0; i < vlen; i++) {
+		err = bpf_object__init_user_btf_map(obj, sec, i,
+						    obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx,
+						    data, strict);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int bpf_object__init_maps(struct bpf_object *obj, int flags)
 {
 	bool strict = !(flags & MAPS_RELAX_COMPAT);
@@ -1016,6 +1324,10 @@ static int bpf_object__init_maps(struct bpf_object *obj, int flags)
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
+	err = bpf_object__init_user_btf_maps(obj, strict);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
 	err = bpf_object__init_global_data_maps(obj);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
@@ -1113,10 +1425,16 @@ static void bpf_object__sanitize_btf_ext(struct bpf_object *obj)
 	}
 }
 
+static bool bpf_object__is_btf_mandatory(const struct bpf_object *obj)
+{
+	return obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx >= 0;
+}
+
 static int bpf_object__init_btf(struct bpf_object *obj,
 				Elf_Data *btf_data,
 				Elf_Data *btf_ext_data)
 {
+	bool btf_required = bpf_object__is_btf_mandatory(obj);
 	int err = 0;
 
 	if (btf_data) {
@@ -1150,10 +1468,18 @@ static int bpf_object__init_btf(struct bpf_object *obj,
 	}
 out:
 	if (err || IS_ERR(obj->btf)) {
+		if (btf_required)
+			err = err ? : PTR_ERR(obj->btf);
+		else
+			err = 0;
 		if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(obj->btf))
 			btf__free(obj->btf);
 		obj->btf = NULL;
 	}
+	if (btf_required && !obj->btf) {
+		pr_warning("BTF is required, but is missing or corrupted.\n");
+		return err == 0 ? -ENOENT : err;
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1173,6 +1499,8 @@ static int bpf_object__sanitize_and_load_btf(struct bpf_object *obj)
 			   BTF_ELF_SEC, err);
 		btf__free(obj->btf);
 		obj->btf = NULL;
+		if (bpf_object__is_btf_mandatory(obj))
+			return err;
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1236,6 +1564,8 @@ static int bpf_object__elf_collect(struct bpf_object *obj, int flags)
 				return err;
 		} else if (strcmp(name, "maps") == 0) {
 			obj->efile.maps_shndx = idx;
+		} else if (strcmp(name, MAPS_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
+			obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx = idx;
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
 			btf_data = data;
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_EXT_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
@@ -1355,7 +1685,8 @@ static bool bpf_object__shndx_is_data(const struct bpf_object *obj,
 static bool bpf_object__shndx_is_maps(const struct bpf_object *obj,
 				      int shndx)
 {
-	return shndx == obj->efile.maps_shndx;
+	return shndx == obj->efile.maps_shndx ||
+	       shndx == obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx;
 }
 
 static bool bpf_object__relo_in_known_section(const struct bpf_object *obj,
@@ -1399,14 +1730,14 @@ bpf_program__collect_reloc(struct bpf_program *prog, GElf_Shdr *shdr,
 	prog->nr_reloc = nrels;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nrels; i++) {
-		GElf_Sym sym;
-		GElf_Rel rel;
-		unsigned int insn_idx;
-		unsigned int shdr_idx;
 		struct bpf_insn *insns = prog->insns;
 		enum libbpf_map_type type;
+		unsigned int insn_idx;
+		unsigned int shdr_idx;
 		const char *name;
 		size_t map_idx;
+		GElf_Sym sym;
+		GElf_Rel rel;
 
 		if (!gelf_getrel(data, i, &rel)) {
 			pr_warning("relocation: failed to get %d reloc\n", i);
@@ -1500,14 +1831,18 @@ bpf_program__collect_reloc(struct bpf_program *prog, GElf_Shdr *shdr,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int bpf_map_find_btf_info(struct bpf_map *map, const struct btf *btf)
+static int bpf_map_find_btf_info(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_map *map)
 {
 	struct bpf_map_def *def = &map->def;
 	__u32 key_type_id = 0, value_type_id = 0;
 	int ret;
 
+	/* if it's BTF-defined map, we don't need to search for type IDs */
+	if (map->sec_idx == obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!bpf_map__is_internal(map)) {
-		ret = btf__get_map_kv_tids(btf, map->name, def->key_size,
+		ret = btf__get_map_kv_tids(obj->btf, map->name, def->key_size,
 					   def->value_size, &key_type_id,
 					   &value_type_id);
 	} else {
@@ -1515,7 +1850,7 @@ static int bpf_map_find_btf_info(struct bpf_map *map, const struct btf *btf)
 		 * LLVM annotates global data differently in BTF, that is,
 		 * only as '.data', '.bss' or '.rodata'.
 		 */
-		ret = btf__find_by_name(btf,
+		ret = btf__find_by_name(obj->btf,
 				libbpf_type_to_btf_name[map->libbpf_type]);
 	}
 	if (ret < 0)
@@ -1805,7 +2140,7 @@ bpf_object__create_maps(struct bpf_object *obj)
 		    map->inner_map_fd >= 0)
 			create_attr.inner_map_fd = map->inner_map_fd;
 
-		if (obj->btf && !bpf_map_find_btf_info(map, obj->btf)) {
+		if (obj->btf && !bpf_map_find_btf_info(obj, map)) {
 			create_attr.btf_fd = btf__fd(obj->btf);
 			create_attr.btf_key_type_id = map->btf_key_type_id;
 			create_attr.btf_value_type_id = map->btf_value_type_id;