diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
index db9331fea672..20c64a8441a8 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.c
@@ -78,10 +78,32 @@ struct btf {
 	void *types_data;
 	size_t types_data_cap; /* used size stored in hdr->type_len */
 
-	/* type ID to `struct btf_type *` lookup index */
+	/* type ID to `struct btf_type *` lookup index
+	 * type_offs[0] corresponds to the first non-VOID type:
+	 *   - for base BTF it's type [1];
+	 *   - for split BTF it's the first non-base BTF type.
+	 */
 	__u32 *type_offs;
 	size_t type_offs_cap;
+	/* number of types in this BTF instance:
+	 *   - doesn't include special [0] void type;
+	 *   - for split BTF counts number of types added on top of base BTF.
+	 */
 	__u32 nr_types;
+	/* if not NULL, points to the base BTF on top of which the current
+	 * split BTF is based
+	 */
+	struct btf *base_btf;
+	/* BTF type ID of the first type in this BTF instance:
+	 *   - for base BTF it's equal to 1;
+	 *   - for split BTF it's equal to biggest type ID of base BTF plus 1.
+	 */
+	int start_id;
+	/* logical string offset of this BTF instance:
+	 *   - for base BTF it's equal to 0;
+	 *   - for split BTF it's equal to total size of base BTF's string section size.
+	 */
+	int start_str_off;
 
 	void *strs_data;
 	size_t strs_data_cap; /* used size stored in hdr->str_len */
@@ -176,7 +198,7 @@ static int btf_add_type_idx_entry(struct btf *btf, __u32 type_off)
 	__u32 *p;
 
 	p = btf_add_mem((void **)&btf->type_offs, &btf->type_offs_cap, sizeof(__u32),
-			btf->nr_types + 1, BTF_MAX_NR_TYPES, 1);
+			btf->nr_types, BTF_MAX_NR_TYPES, 1);
 	if (!p)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -252,12 +274,20 @@ static int btf_parse_str_sec(struct btf *btf)
 	const char *start = btf->strs_data;
 	const char *end = start + btf->hdr->str_len;
 
-	if (!hdr->str_len || hdr->str_len - 1 > BTF_MAX_STR_OFFSET ||
-	    start[0] || end[-1]) {
-		pr_debug("Invalid BTF string section\n");
-		return -EINVAL;
+	if (btf->base_btf) {
+		if (hdr->str_len == 0)
+			return 0;
+		if (hdr->str_len - 1 > BTF_MAX_STR_OFFSET || end[-1]) {
+			pr_debug("Invalid BTF string section\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (!hdr->str_len || hdr->str_len - 1 > BTF_MAX_STR_OFFSET ||
+		    start[0] || end[-1]) {
+			pr_debug("Invalid BTF string section\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
 	}
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -372,19 +402,9 @@ static int btf_parse_type_sec(struct btf *btf)
 	struct btf_header *hdr = btf->hdr;
 	void *next_type = btf->types_data;
 	void *end_type = next_type + hdr->type_len;
-	int err, i = 0, type_size;
-
-	/* VOID (type_id == 0) is specially handled by btf__get_type_by_id(),
-	 * so ensure we can never properly use its offset from index by
-	 * setting it to a large value
-	 */
-	err = btf_add_type_idx_entry(btf, UINT_MAX);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
+	int err, type_size;
 
 	while (next_type + sizeof(struct btf_type) <= end_type) {
-		i++;
-
 		if (btf->swapped_endian)
 			btf_bswap_type_base(next_type);
 
@@ -392,7 +412,7 @@ static int btf_parse_type_sec(struct btf *btf)
 		if (type_size < 0)
 			return type_size;
 		if (next_type + type_size > end_type) {
-			pr_warn("BTF type [%d] is malformed\n", i);
+			pr_warn("BTF type [%d] is malformed\n", btf->start_id + btf->nr_types);
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
@@ -417,7 +437,7 @@ static int btf_parse_type_sec(struct btf *btf)
 
 __u32 btf__get_nr_types(const struct btf *btf)
 {
-	return btf->nr_types;
+	return btf->start_id + btf->nr_types - 1;
 }
 
 /* internal helper returning non-const pointer to a type */
@@ -425,13 +445,14 @@ static struct btf_type *btf_type_by_id(struct btf *btf, __u32 type_id)
 {
 	if (type_id == 0)
 		return &btf_void;
-
-	return btf->types_data + btf->type_offs[type_id];
+	if (type_id < btf->start_id)
+		return btf_type_by_id(btf->base_btf, type_id);
+	return btf->types_data + btf->type_offs[type_id - btf->start_id];
 }
 
 const struct btf_type *btf__type_by_id(const struct btf *btf, __u32 type_id)
 {
-	if (type_id > btf->nr_types)
+	if (type_id >= btf->start_id + btf->nr_types)
 		return NULL;
 	return btf_type_by_id((struct btf *)btf, type_id);
 }
@@ -440,9 +461,13 @@ static int determine_ptr_size(const struct btf *btf)
 {
 	const struct btf_type *t;
 	const char *name;
-	int i;
+	int i, n;
 
-	for (i = 1; i <= btf->nr_types; i++) {
+	if (btf->base_btf && btf->base_btf->ptr_sz > 0)
+		return btf->base_btf->ptr_sz;
+
+	n = btf__get_nr_types(btf);
+	for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
 		t = btf__type_by_id(btf, i);
 		if (!btf_is_int(t))
 			continue;
@@ -725,7 +750,7 @@ void btf__free(struct btf *btf)
 	free(btf);
 }
 
-struct btf *btf__new_empty(void)
+static struct btf *btf_new_empty(struct btf *base_btf)
 {
 	struct btf *btf;
 
@@ -733,12 +758,21 @@ struct btf *btf__new_empty(void)
 	if (!btf)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
+	btf->nr_types = 0;
+	btf->start_id = 1;
+	btf->start_str_off = 0;
 	btf->fd = -1;
 	btf->ptr_sz = sizeof(void *);
 	btf->swapped_endian = false;
 
+	if (base_btf) {
+		btf->base_btf = base_btf;
+		btf->start_id = btf__get_nr_types(base_btf) + 1;
+		btf->start_str_off = base_btf->hdr->str_len;
+	}
+
 	/* +1 for empty string at offset 0 */
-	btf->raw_size = sizeof(struct btf_header) + 1;
+	btf->raw_size = sizeof(struct btf_header) + (base_btf ? 0 : 1);
 	btf->raw_data = calloc(1, btf->raw_size);
 	if (!btf->raw_data) {
 		free(btf);
@@ -752,12 +786,22 @@ struct btf *btf__new_empty(void)
 
 	btf->types_data = btf->raw_data + btf->hdr->hdr_len;
 	btf->strs_data = btf->raw_data + btf->hdr->hdr_len;
-	btf->hdr->str_len = 1; /* empty string at offset 0 */
+	btf->hdr->str_len = base_btf ? 0 : 1; /* empty string at offset 0 */
 
 	return btf;
 }
 
-struct btf *btf__new(const void *data, __u32 size)
+struct btf *btf__new_empty(void)
+{
+	return btf_new_empty(NULL);
+}
+
+struct btf *btf__new_empty_split(struct btf *base_btf)
+{
+	return btf_new_empty(base_btf);
+}
+
+static struct btf *btf_new(const void *data, __u32 size, struct btf *base_btf)
 {
 	struct btf *btf;
 	int err;
@@ -766,6 +810,16 @@ struct btf *btf__new(const void *data, __u32 size)
 	if (!btf)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
+	btf->nr_types = 0;
+	btf->start_id = 1;
+	btf->start_str_off = 0;
+
+	if (base_btf) {
+		btf->base_btf = base_btf;
+		btf->start_id = btf__get_nr_types(base_btf) + 1;
+		btf->start_str_off = base_btf->hdr->str_len;
+	}
+
 	btf->raw_data = malloc(size);
 	if (!btf->raw_data) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
@@ -798,7 +852,13 @@ struct btf *btf__new(const void *data, __u32 size)
 	return btf;
 }
 
-struct btf *btf__parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
+struct btf *btf__new(const void *data, __u32 size)
+{
+	return btf_new(data, size, NULL);
+}
+
+static struct btf *btf_parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf,
+				 struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
 {
 	Elf_Data *btf_data = NULL, *btf_ext_data = NULL;
 	int err = 0, fd = -1, idx = 0;
@@ -876,7 +936,7 @@ struct btf *btf__parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
 		err = -ENOENT;
 		goto done;
 	}
-	btf = btf__new(btf_data->d_buf, btf_data->d_size);
+	btf = btf_new(btf_data->d_buf, btf_data->d_size, base_btf);
 	if (IS_ERR(btf))
 		goto done;
 
@@ -921,7 +981,17 @@ struct btf *btf__parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
 	return btf;
 }
 
-struct btf *btf__parse_raw(const char *path)
+struct btf *btf__parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
+{
+	return btf_parse_elf(path, NULL, btf_ext);
+}
+
+struct btf *btf__parse_elf_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf)
+{
+	return btf_parse_elf(path, base_btf, NULL);
+}
+
+static struct btf *btf_parse_raw(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf)
 {
 	struct btf *btf = NULL;
 	void *data = NULL;
@@ -975,7 +1045,7 @@ struct btf *btf__parse_raw(const char *path)
 	}
 
 	/* finally parse BTF data */
-	btf = btf__new(data, sz);
+	btf = btf_new(data, sz, base_btf);
 
 err_out:
 	free(data);
@@ -984,18 +1054,38 @@ struct btf *btf__parse_raw(const char *path)
 	return err ? ERR_PTR(err) : btf;
 }
 
-struct btf *btf__parse(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
+struct btf *btf__parse_raw(const char *path)
+{
+	return btf_parse_raw(path, NULL);
+}
+
+struct btf *btf__parse_raw_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf)
+{
+	return btf_parse_raw(path, base_btf);
+}
+
+static struct btf *btf_parse(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
 {
 	struct btf *btf;
 
 	if (btf_ext)
 		*btf_ext = NULL;
 
-	btf = btf__parse_raw(path);
+	btf = btf_parse_raw(path, base_btf);
 	if (!IS_ERR(btf) || PTR_ERR(btf) != -EPROTO)
 		return btf;
 
-	return btf__parse_elf(path, btf_ext);
+	return btf_parse_elf(path, base_btf, btf_ext);
+}
+
+struct btf *btf__parse(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext)
+{
+	return btf_parse(path, NULL, btf_ext);
+}
+
+struct btf *btf__parse_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf)
+{
+	return btf_parse(path, base_btf, NULL);
 }
 
 static int compare_vsi_off(const void *_a, const void *_b)
@@ -1179,8 +1269,8 @@ static void *btf_get_raw_data(const struct btf *btf, __u32 *size, bool swap_endi
 
 	memcpy(p, btf->types_data, hdr->type_len);
 	if (swap_endian) {
-		for (i = 1; i <= btf->nr_types; i++) {
-			t = p  + btf->type_offs[i];
+		for (i = 0; i < btf->nr_types; i++) {
+			t = p + btf->type_offs[i];
 			/* btf_bswap_type_rest() relies on native t->info, so
 			 * we swap base type info after we swapped all the
 			 * additional information
@@ -1223,8 +1313,10 @@ const void *btf__get_raw_data(const struct btf *btf_ro, __u32 *size)
 
 const char *btf__str_by_offset(const struct btf *btf, __u32 offset)
 {
-	if (offset < btf->hdr->str_len)
-		return btf->strs_data + offset;
+	if (offset < btf->start_str_off)
+		return btf__str_by_offset(btf->base_btf, offset);
+	else if (offset - btf->start_str_off < btf->hdr->str_len)
+		return btf->strs_data + (offset - btf->start_str_off);
 	else
 		return NULL;
 }
@@ -1461,7 +1553,10 @@ static int btf_ensure_modifiable(struct btf *btf)
 	/* if BTF was created from scratch, all strings are guaranteed to be
 	 * unique and deduplicated
 	 */
-	btf->strs_deduped = btf->hdr->str_len <= 1;
+	if (btf->hdr->str_len == 0)
+		btf->strs_deduped = true;
+	if (!btf->base_btf && btf->hdr->str_len == 1)
+		btf->strs_deduped = true;
 
 	/* invalidate raw_data representation */
 	btf_invalidate_raw_data(btf);
@@ -1493,6 +1588,14 @@ int btf__find_str(struct btf *btf, const char *s)
 	long old_off, new_off, len;
 	void *p;
 
+	if (btf->base_btf) {
+		int ret;
+
+		ret = btf__find_str(btf->base_btf, s);
+		if (ret != -ENOENT)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	/* BTF needs to be in a modifiable state to build string lookup index */
 	if (btf_ensure_modifiable(btf))
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -1507,7 +1610,7 @@ int btf__find_str(struct btf *btf, const char *s)
 	memcpy(p, s, len);
 
 	if (hashmap__find(btf->strs_hash, (void *)new_off, (void **)&old_off))
-		return old_off;
+		return btf->start_str_off + old_off;
 
 	return -ENOENT;
 }
@@ -1523,6 +1626,14 @@ int btf__add_str(struct btf *btf, const char *s)
 	void *p;
 	int err;
 
+	if (btf->base_btf) {
+		int ret;
+
+		ret = btf__find_str(btf->base_btf, s);
+		if (ret != -ENOENT)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	if (btf_ensure_modifiable(btf))
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -1549,12 +1660,12 @@ int btf__add_str(struct btf *btf, const char *s)
 	err = hashmap__insert(btf->strs_hash, (void *)new_off, (void *)new_off,
 			      HASHMAP_ADD, (const void **)&old_off, NULL);
 	if (err == -EEXIST)
-		return old_off; /* duplicated string, return existing offset */
+		return btf->start_str_off + old_off; /* duplicated string, return existing offset */
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
 	btf->hdr->str_len += len; /* new unique string, adjust data length */
-	return new_off;
+	return btf->start_str_off + new_off;
 }
 
 static void *btf_add_type_mem(struct btf *btf, size_t add_sz)
@@ -1584,7 +1695,7 @@ static int btf_commit_type(struct btf *btf, int data_sz)
 	btf->hdr->type_len += data_sz;
 	btf->hdr->str_off += data_sz;
 	btf->nr_types++;
-	return btf->nr_types;
+	return btf->start_id + btf->nr_types - 1;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -4167,14 +4278,14 @@ static int btf_dedup_compact_types(struct btf_dedup *d)
 
 		memmove(p, btf__type_by_id(d->btf, i), len);
 		d->hypot_map[i] = next_type_id;
-		d->btf->type_offs[next_type_id] = p - d->btf->types_data;
+		d->btf->type_offs[next_type_id - 1] = p - d->btf->types_data;
 		p += len;
 		next_type_id++;
 	}
 
 	/* shrink struct btf's internal types index and update btf_header */
 	d->btf->nr_types = next_type_id - 1;
-	d->btf->type_offs_cap = d->btf->nr_types + 1;
+	d->btf->type_offs_cap = d->btf->nr_types;
 	d->btf->hdr->type_len = p - d->btf->types_data;
 	new_offs = libbpf_reallocarray(d->btf->type_offs, d->btf->type_offs_cap,
 				       sizeof(*new_offs));
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
index 57247240a20a..1093f6fe6800 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/btf.h
@@ -31,11 +31,19 @@ enum btf_endianness {
 };
 
 LIBBPF_API void btf__free(struct btf *btf);
+
 LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__new(const void *data, __u32 size);
+LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__new_split(const void *data, __u32 size, struct btf *base_btf);
 LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__new_empty(void);
+LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__new_empty_split(struct btf *base_btf);
+
 LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext);
+LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf);
 LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse_elf(const char *path, struct btf_ext **btf_ext);
+LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse_elf_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf);
 LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse_raw(const char *path);
+LIBBPF_API struct btf *btf__parse_raw_split(const char *path, struct btf *base_btf);
+
 LIBBPF_API int btf__finalize_data(struct bpf_object *obj, struct btf *btf);
 LIBBPF_API int btf__load(struct btf *btf);
 LIBBPF_API __s32 btf__find_by_name(const struct btf *btf,
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
index 4ebfadf45b47..29ff4807b909 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.map
@@ -337,3 +337,12 @@ LIBBPF_0.2.0 {
 		perf_buffer__consume_buffer;
 		xsk_socket__create_shared;
 } LIBBPF_0.1.0;
+
+LIBBPF_0.3.0 {
+	global:
+		btf__parse_elf_split;
+		btf__parse_raw_split;
+		btf__parse_split;
+		btf__new_empty_split;
+		btf__new_split;
+} LIBBPF_0.2.0;
