diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 42f31eff5f3f..30992305f4c1 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -2154,6 +2154,11 @@ void *bpf_map__priv(struct bpf_map *map)
 	return map ? map->priv : ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 }
 
+bool bpf_map__is_offload_neutral(struct bpf_map *map)
+{
+	return map->def.type == BPF_MAP_TYPE_PERF_EVENT_ARRAY;
+}
+
 void bpf_map__set_ifindex(struct bpf_map *map, __u32 ifindex)
 {
 	map->map_ifindex = ifindex;
@@ -2278,7 +2283,8 @@ int bpf_prog_load_xattr(const struct bpf_prog_load_attr *attr,
 	}
 
 	bpf_map__for_each(map, obj) {
-		map->map_ifindex = attr->ifindex;
+		if (!bpf_map__is_offload_neutral(map))
+			map->map_ifindex = attr->ifindex;
 	}
 
 	if (!first_prog) {
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index d1ce5c828e2e..749acf58a5da 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ typedef void (*bpf_map_clear_priv_t)(struct bpf_map *, void *);
 int bpf_map__set_priv(struct bpf_map *map, void *priv,
 		      bpf_map_clear_priv_t clear_priv);
 void *bpf_map__priv(struct bpf_map *map);
+bool bpf_map__is_offload_neutral(struct bpf_map *map);
 void bpf_map__set_ifindex(struct bpf_map *map, __u32 ifindex);
 int bpf_map__pin(struct bpf_map *map, const char *path);