diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_progs.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_progs.c
index c7e52f4194e2..a05a807840c0 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_progs.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_progs.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct prog_test_def {
 	bool tested;
 	bool need_cgroup_cleanup;
 
-	const char *subtest_name;
+	char *subtest_name;
 	int subtest_num;
 
 	/* store counts before subtest started */
@@ -81,16 +81,17 @@ void test__end_subtest()
 	fprintf(env.stdout, "#%d/%d %s:%s\n",
 	       test->test_num, test->subtest_num,
 	       test->subtest_name, sub_error_cnt ? "FAIL" : "OK");
+
+	free(test->subtest_name);
+	test->subtest_name = NULL;
 }
 
 bool test__start_subtest(const char *name)
 {
 	struct prog_test_def *test = env.test;
 
-	if (test->subtest_name) {
+	if (test->subtest_name)
 		test__end_subtest();
-		test->subtest_name = NULL;
-	}
 
 	test->subtest_num++;
 
@@ -104,7 +105,13 @@ bool test__start_subtest(const char *name)
 	if (!should_run(&env.subtest_selector, test->subtest_num, name))
 		return false;
 
-	test->subtest_name = name;
+	test->subtest_name = strdup(name);
+	if (!test->subtest_name) {
+		fprintf(env.stderr,
+			"Subtest #%d: failed to copy subtest name!\n",
+			test->subtest_num);
+		return false;
+	}
 	env.test->old_error_cnt = env.test->error_cnt;
 
 	return true;