diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index aa05a99b913db..0159a43c7efd3 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ struct bpf_program {
 
 	int fd;
 	bool autoload;
+	bool autoattach;
 	bool mark_btf_static;
 	enum bpf_prog_type type;
 	enum bpf_attach_type expected_attach_type;
@@ -755,6 +756,8 @@ bpf_object__init_prog(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_program *prog,
 		prog->autoload = true;
 	}
 
+	prog->autoattach = true;
+
 	/* inherit object's log_level */
 	prog->log_level = obj->log_level;
 
@@ -8314,6 +8317,16 @@ int bpf_program__set_autoload(struct bpf_program *prog, bool autoload)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+bool bpf_program__autoattach(const struct bpf_program *prog)
+{
+	return prog->autoattach;
+}
+
+void bpf_program__set_autoattach(struct bpf_program *prog, bool autoattach)
+{
+	prog->autoattach = autoattach;
+}
+
 const struct bpf_insn *bpf_program__insns(const struct bpf_program *prog)
 {
 	return prog->insns;
@@ -12346,7 +12359,7 @@ int bpf_object__attach_skeleton(struct bpf_object_skeleton *s)
 		struct bpf_program *prog = *s->progs[i].prog;
 		struct bpf_link **link = s->progs[i].link;
 
-		if (!prog->autoload)
+		if (!prog->autoload || !prog->autoattach)
 			continue;
 
 		/* auto-attaching not supported for this program */
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index 61493c4cddac1..88a1ac34b12a9 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ LIBBPF_API const char *bpf_program__name(const struct bpf_program *prog);
 LIBBPF_API const char *bpf_program__section_name(const struct bpf_program *prog);
 LIBBPF_API bool bpf_program__autoload(const struct bpf_program *prog);
 LIBBPF_API int bpf_program__set_autoload(struct bpf_program *prog, bool autoload);
+LIBBPF_API bool bpf_program__autoattach(const struct bpf_program *prog);
+LIBBPF_API void bpf_program__set_autoattach(struct bpf_program *prog, bool autoattach);
 
 struct bpf_insn;
 
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
index 119e6e1ea7f11..2b928dc21af0a 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ LIBBPF_1.0.0 {
 		bpf_obj_get_opts;
 		bpf_prog_query_opts;
 		bpf_program__attach_ksyscall;
+		bpf_program__autoattach;
+		bpf_program__set_autoattach;
 		btf__add_enum64;
 		btf__add_enum64_value;
 		libbpf_bpf_attach_type_str;