diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
index 05b9452088154..ef924fc2c9114 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
@@ -236,13 +236,19 @@ static int btf_parse_hdr(struct btf *btf)
 		}
 		btf_bswap_hdr(hdr);
 	} else if (hdr->magic != BTF_MAGIC) {
-		pr_debug("Invalid BTF magic:%x\n", hdr->magic);
+		pr_debug("Invalid BTF magic: %x\n", hdr->magic);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	meta_left = btf->raw_size - sizeof(*hdr);
+	if (btf->raw_size < hdr->hdr_len) {
+		pr_debug("BTF header len %u larger than data size %u\n",
+			 hdr->hdr_len, btf->raw_size);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	meta_left = btf->raw_size - hdr->hdr_len;
 	if (meta_left < (long long)hdr->str_off + hdr->str_len) {
-		pr_debug("Invalid BTF total size:%u\n", btf->raw_size);
+		pr_debug("Invalid BTF total size: %u\n", btf->raw_size);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}