diff --git a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
index dd2b31ccca6a..6a148d0d51bf 100755
--- a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
+++ b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ gen_btf()
 	pahole_ver=$(${PAHOLE} --version | sed -E 's/v([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)/\1\2/')
 	if [ "${pahole_ver}" -lt "113" ]; then
 		info "BTF" "${1}: pahole version $(${PAHOLE} --version) is too old, need at least v1.13"
-		exit 0
+		return 0
 	fi
 
 	info "BTF" ${1}