diff --git a/tools/perf/util/bpf-event.c b/tools/perf/util/bpf-event.c
index 4d3b4cdce176..d49cdff8fb39 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/bpf-event.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/bpf-event.c
@@ -119,7 +119,11 @@ static int perf_env__fetch_btf(struct perf_env *env,
 	node->data_size = data_size;
 	memcpy(node->data, data, data_size);
 
-	perf_env__insert_btf(env, node);
+	if (!perf_env__insert_btf(env, node)) {
+		/* Insertion failed because of a duplicate. */
+		free(node);
+		return -1;
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/env.c b/tools/perf/util/env.c
index 17f1dd0680b4..b9904896eb97 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/env.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/env.c
@@ -75,12 +75,13 @@ out:
 	return node;
 }
 
-void perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node)
+bool perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node)
 {
 	struct rb_node *parent = NULL;
 	__u32 btf_id = btf_node->id;
 	struct btf_node *node;
 	struct rb_node **p;
+	bool ret = true;
 
 	down_write(&env->bpf_progs.lock);
 	p = &env->bpf_progs.btfs.rb_node;
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ void perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node)
 			p = &(*p)->rb_right;
 		} else {
 			pr_debug("duplicated btf %u\n", btf_id);
+			ret = false;
 			goto out;
 		}
 	}
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ void perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node)
 	env->bpf_progs.btfs_cnt++;
 out:
 	up_write(&env->bpf_progs.lock);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 struct btf_node *perf_env__find_btf(struct perf_env *env, __u32 btf_id)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/env.h b/tools/perf/util/env.h
index 1383876f72b3..163e5ec503a2 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/env.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/env.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ void perf_env__insert_bpf_prog_info(struct perf_env *env,
 				    struct bpf_prog_info_node *info_node);
 struct bpf_prog_info_node *perf_env__find_bpf_prog_info(struct perf_env *env,
 							__u32 prog_id);
-void perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node);
+bool perf_env__insert_btf(struct perf_env *env, struct btf_node *btf_node);
 struct btf_node *perf_env__find_btf(struct perf_env *env, __u32 btf_id);
 
 int perf_env__numa_node(struct perf_env *env, int cpu);