diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index ceed16a10285..834b3e6bc72c 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -6837,8 +6837,14 @@ static int libbpf_prepare_prog_load(struct bpf_program *prog,
 		opts->prog_flags |= BPF_F_XDP_HAS_FRAGS;
 
 	/* special check for usdt to use uprobe_multi link */
-	if ((def & SEC_USDT) && kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_UPROBE_MULTI_LINK))
+	if ((def & SEC_USDT) && kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_UPROBE_MULTI_LINK)) {
+		/* for BPF_TRACE_UPROBE_MULTI, user might want to query expected_attach_type
+		 * in prog, and expected_attach_type we set in kernel is from opts, so we
+		 * update both.
+		 */
 		prog->expected_attach_type = BPF_TRACE_UPROBE_MULTI;
+		opts->expected_attach_type = BPF_TRACE_UPROBE_MULTI;
+	}
 
 	if ((def & SEC_ATTACH_BTF) && !prog->attach_btf_id) {
 		int btf_obj_fd = 0, btf_type_id = 0, err;
@@ -6915,6 +6921,7 @@ static int bpf_object_load_prog(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_program *prog
 	load_attr.attach_btf_id = prog->attach_btf_id;
 	load_attr.kern_version = kern_version;
 	load_attr.prog_ifindex = prog->prog_ifindex;
+	load_attr.expected_attach_type = prog->expected_attach_type;
 
 	/* specify func_info/line_info only if kernel supports them */
 	btf_fd = bpf_object__btf_fd(obj);
@@ -6943,9 +6950,6 @@ static int bpf_object_load_prog(struct bpf_object *obj, struct bpf_program *prog
 		insns_cnt = prog->insns_cnt;
 	}
 
-	/* allow prog_prepare_load_fn to change expected_attach_type */
-	load_attr.expected_attach_type = prog->expected_attach_type;
-
 	if (obj->gen_loader) {
 		bpf_gen__prog_load(obj->gen_loader, prog->type, prog->name,
 				   license, insns, insns_cnt, &load_attr,