diff --git a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
index 72e53489165d..2b69306d3c6e 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
@@ -4863,9 +4863,21 @@ out_prog_put:
 static int __sys_bpf(int cmd, bpfptr_t uattr, unsigned int size)
 {
 	union bpf_attr attr;
+	bool capable;
 	int err;
 
-	if (sysctl_unprivileged_bpf_disabled && !bpf_capable())
+	capable = bpf_capable() || !sysctl_unprivileged_bpf_disabled;
+
+	/* Intent here is for unprivileged_bpf_disabled to block key object
+	 * creation commands for unprivileged users; other actions depend
+	 * of fd availability and access to bpffs, so are dependent on
+	 * object creation success.  Capabilities are later verified for
+	 * operations such as load and map create, so even with unprivileged
+	 * BPF disabled, capability checks are still carried out for these
+	 * and other operations.
+	 */
+	if (!capable &&
+	    (cmd == BPF_MAP_CREATE || cmd == BPF_PROG_LOAD))
 		return -EPERM;
 
 	err = bpf_check_uarg_tail_zero(uattr, sizeof(attr), size);