diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index dfd15cc60ea7..d869ebee1e27 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -9009,7 +9009,10 @@ int bpf_map__set_inner_map_fd(struct bpf_map *map, int fd)
 		pr_warn("error: inner_map_fd already specified\n");
 		return libbpf_err(-EINVAL);
 	}
-	zfree(&map->inner_map);
+	if (map->inner_map) {
+		bpf_map__destroy(map->inner_map);
+		zfree(&map->inner_map);
+	}
 	map->inner_map_fd = fd;
 	return 0;
 }