diff --git a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
index 658d1154f221..a75c54b6f8a3 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
@@ -2550,7 +2550,6 @@ static int bpf_prog_load(union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr, u32 uattr_size)
 	struct btf *attach_btf = NULL;
 	int err;
 	char license[128];
-	bool is_gpl;
 
 	if (CHECK_ATTR(BPF_PROG_LOAD))
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -2569,16 +2568,6 @@ static int bpf_prog_load(union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr, u32 uattr_size)
 	    !bpf_capable())
 		return -EPERM;
 
-	/* copy eBPF program license from user space */
-	if (strncpy_from_bpfptr(license,
-				make_bpfptr(attr->license, uattr.is_kernel),
-				sizeof(license) - 1) < 0)
-		return -EFAULT;
-	license[sizeof(license) - 1] = 0;
-
-	/* eBPF programs must be GPL compatible to use GPL-ed functions */
-	is_gpl = license_is_gpl_compatible(license);
-
 	/* Intent here is for unprivileged_bpf_disabled to block BPF program
 	 * creation for unprivileged users; other actions depend
 	 * on fd availability and access to bpffs, so are dependent on
@@ -2671,12 +2660,20 @@ static int bpf_prog_load(union bpf_attr *attr, bpfptr_t uattr, u32 uattr_size)
 			     make_bpfptr(attr->insns, uattr.is_kernel),
 			     bpf_prog_insn_size(prog)) != 0)
 		goto free_prog_sec;
+	/* copy eBPF program license from user space */
+	if (strncpy_from_bpfptr(license,
+				make_bpfptr(attr->license, uattr.is_kernel),
+				sizeof(license) - 1) < 0)
+		goto free_prog_sec;
+	license[sizeof(license) - 1] = 0;
+
+	/* eBPF programs must be GPL compatible to use GPL-ed functions */
+	prog->gpl_compatible = license_is_gpl_compatible(license) ? 1 : 0;
 
 	prog->orig_prog = NULL;
 	prog->jited = 0;
 
 	atomic64_set(&prog->aux->refcnt, 1);
-	prog->gpl_compatible = is_gpl ? 1 : 0;
 
 	if (bpf_prog_is_dev_bound(prog->aux)) {
 		err = bpf_prog_dev_bound_init(prog, attr);