diff --git a/userspace/libscap/engine/bpf/scap_bpf.c b/userspace/libscap/engine/bpf/scap_bpf.c
index f57ad1b362..82063a491c 100644
--- a/userspace/libscap/engine/bpf/scap_bpf.c
+++ b/userspace/libscap/engine/bpf/scap_bpf.c
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 #include <libscap/strl.h>
 #include <libscap/strerror.h>
 
+/* some libelf implementations do not have the ELF_C_READ_MMAP_PRIVATE extension */
+#ifndef ELF_C_READ_MMAP_PRIVATE
+#define ELF_C_READ_MMAP_PRIVATE ELF_C_READ
+#endif
+
 static const char *const bpf_kernel_counters_stats_names[] = {
         [BPF_N_EVTS] = N_EVENTS_PREFIX,
         [BPF_N_DROPS_BUFFER_TOTAL] = "n_drops_buffer_total",
@@ -706,7 +711,7 @@ static int32_t load_bpf_file(struct bpf_engine *handle) {
 			                      handle->m_filepath);
 		}
 
-		handle->elf = elf_begin(handle->program_fd, ELF_C_READ, NULL);
+		handle->elf = elf_begin(handle->program_fd, ELF_C_READ_MMAP_PRIVATE, NULL);
 		if(!handle->elf) {
 			scap_errprintf(handle->m_lasterr, 0, "can't read ELF format");
 			goto end;