diff --git a/src/libbpf.c b/src/libbpf.c
index f836a19..0dc6465 100644
--- a/src/libbpf.c
+++ b/src/libbpf.c
@@ -3270,8 +3270,12 @@ static int bpf_object__elf_collect(struct bpf_object *obj)
 		} else if (strcmp(name, MAPS_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
 			obj->efile.btf_maps_shndx = idx;
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
+			if (sh->sh_type != SHT_PROGBITS)
+				return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__FORMAT;
 			btf_data = data;
 		} else if (strcmp(name, BTF_EXT_ELF_SEC) == 0) {
+			if (sh->sh_type != SHT_PROGBITS)
+				return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__FORMAT;
 			btf_ext_data = data;
 		} else if (sh->sh_type == SHT_SYMTAB) {
 			/* already processed during the first pass above */