diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/feature.c b/tools/bpf/bpftool/feature.c
index c532c8855c24..d12f46051aac 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/feature.c
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/feature.c
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ probe_helper_ifindex(enum bpf_func_id id, enum bpf_prog_type prog_type,
 	return res;
 }
 
-static void
+static bool
 probe_helper_for_progtype(enum bpf_prog_type prog_type, bool supported_type,
 			  const char *define_prefix, unsigned int id,
 			  const char *ptype_name, __u32 ifindex)
@@ -723,6 +723,8 @@ probe_helper_for_progtype(enum bpf_prog_type prog_type, bool supported_type,
 		if (res)
 			printf("\n\t- %s", helper_name[id]);
 	}
+
+	return res;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -732,6 +734,7 @@ probe_helpers_for_progtype(enum bpf_prog_type prog_type, bool supported_type,
 	const char *ptype_name = prog_type_name[prog_type];
 	char feat_name[128];
 	unsigned int id;
+	bool probe_res = false;
 
 	if (ifindex)
 		/* Only test helpers for offload-able program types */
@@ -764,7 +767,7 @@ probe_helpers_for_progtype(enum bpf_prog_type prog_type, bool supported_type,
 				continue;
 			/* fallthrough */
 		default:
-			probe_helper_for_progtype(prog_type, supported_type,
+			probe_res |= probe_helper_for_progtype(prog_type, supported_type,
 						  define_prefix, id, ptype_name,
 						  ifindex);
 		}
@@ -772,8 +775,17 @@ probe_helpers_for_progtype(enum bpf_prog_type prog_type, bool supported_type,
 
 	if (json_output)
 		jsonw_end_array(json_wtr);
-	else if (!define_prefix)
+	else if (!define_prefix) {
 		printf("\n");
+		if (!probe_res) {
+			if (!supported_type)
+				printf("\tProgram type not supported\n");
+			else
+				printf("\tCould not determine which helpers are available\n");
+		}
+	}
+
+
 }
 
 static void