diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/btf.c b/tools/bpf/bpftool/btf.c
index 62953bbf68b4..001749a34899 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/btf.c
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/btf.c
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ static const char *btf_var_linkage_str(__u32 linkage)
 	case BTF_VAR_STATIC:
 		return "static";
 	case BTF_VAR_GLOBAL_ALLOCATED:
-		return "global-alloc";
+		return "global";
+	case BTF_VAR_GLOBAL_EXTERN:
+		return "extern";
 	default:
 		return "(unknown)";
 	}