diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/bpf_helpers.h b/tools/lib/bpf/bpf_helpers.h
index b904128626c2..75c7581b304c 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/bpf_helpers.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/bpf_helpers.h
@@ -25,9 +25,16 @@
 /*
  * Helper macro to place programs, maps, license in
  * different sections in elf_bpf file. Section names
- * are interpreted by elf_bpf loader
+ * are interpreted by libbpf depending on the context (BPF programs, BPF maps,
+ * extern variables, etc).
+ * To allow use of SEC() with externs (e.g., for extern .maps declarations),
+ * make sure __attribute__((unused)) doesn't trigger compilation warning.
  */
-#define SEC(NAME) __attribute__((section(NAME), used))
+#define SEC(name) \
+	_Pragma("GCC diagnostic push")					    \
+	_Pragma("GCC diagnostic ignored \"-Wignored-attributes\"")	    \
+	__attribute__((section(name), used))				    \
+	_Pragma("GCC diagnostic pop")					    \
 
 /* Avoid 'linux/stddef.h' definition of '__always_inline'. */
 #undef __always_inline