diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 0c201f07d8ae..d201a7356fad 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -8729,7 +8729,7 @@ __bpf_map__iter(const struct bpf_map *m, const struct bpf_object *obj, int i)
 struct bpf_map *
 bpf_map__next(const struct bpf_map *prev, const struct bpf_object *obj)
 {
-	if (prev == NULL)
+	if (prev == NULL && obj != NULL)
 		return obj->maps;
 
 	return __bpf_map__iter(prev, obj, 1);
@@ -8738,7 +8738,7 @@ bpf_map__next(const struct bpf_map *prev, const struct bpf_object *obj)
 struct bpf_map *
 bpf_map__prev(const struct bpf_map *next, const struct bpf_object *obj)
 {
-	if (next == NULL) {
+	if (next == NULL && obj != NULL) {
 		if (!obj->nr_maps)
 			return NULL;
 		return obj->maps + obj->nr_maps - 1;