diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
index 3a01c4b7f36ab..85705c10f7b25 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
@@ -2991,8 +2991,10 @@ int btf__dedup(struct btf *btf, struct btf_ext *btf_ext,
 		return libbpf_err(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
-	if (btf_ensure_modifiable(btf))
-		return libbpf_err(-ENOMEM);
+	if (btf_ensure_modifiable(btf)) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto done;
+	}
 
 	err = btf_dedup_prep(d);
 	if (err) {