diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
index 8cbcef959456..b03250007018 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
@@ -1003,6 +1003,7 @@ static struct btf *btf_parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf,
 	err = 0;
 
 	if (!btf_data) {
+		pr_warn("failed to find '%s' ELF section in %s\n", BTF_ELF_SEC, path);
 		err = -ENOENT;
 		goto done;
 	}