diff --git a/src/skel_internal.h b/src/skel_internal.h
index 53fee53..1f3f332 100644
--- a/src/skel_internal.h
+++ b/src/skel_internal.h
@@ -131,8 +131,10 @@ static inline void skel_free_map_data(void *p, __u64 addr, size_t sz)
 {
 	if (addr != ~0ULL)
 		kvfree(p);
-	/* When addr == ~0ULL the 'p' points to
-	 * ((struct bpf_array *)map)->value. See skel_finalize_map_data.
+	/*
+	 * When addr == ~0ULL the init buffer has already been released.
+	 * For skel_finalize_map_data(), 'p' points to
+	 * ((struct bpf_array *)map)->value.
 	 */
 }
 
@@ -170,6 +172,15 @@ out:
 	return addr;
 }
 
+static inline int skel_protect_map_data(void *p, __u64 *init_val, size_t sz)
+{
+	(void)sz;
+
+	kvfree(p);
+	*init_val = ~0ULL;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 #else
 
 static inline void *skel_alloc(size_t size)
@@ -208,6 +219,15 @@ static inline void *skel_finalize_map_data(__u64 *init_val, size_t mmap_sz, int
 		return NULL;
 	return addr;
 }
+
+static inline int skel_protect_map_data(void *p, __u64 *init_val, size_t sz)
+{
+	(void)init_val;
+
+	if (mprotect(p, sz, PROT_READ))
+		return -errno;
+	return 0;
+}
 #endif
 
 static inline int skel_closenz(int fd)