diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 910862ed367..a0ce462f317 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1005,7 +1005,11 @@ else
 
         # Debian installs this in /usr/sbin/ which is not in $PATH.
         # We check for 'bpftool' first, honouring $PATH, and in /usr/sbin/ for Debian.
-        bpftool = find_program('bpftool', '/usr/sbin/bpftool', required : bpf_framework_required)
+        # We use 'bpftool gen' subcommand, it was added by 985ead416df39d6fe8e89580cc1db6aa273e0175 (v5.6).
+        bpftool = find_program('bpftool',
+                               '/usr/sbin/bpftool',
+                               required : bpf_framework_required,
+                               version : '>= 5.6')
 
         deps_found = libbpf.found() and clang.found() and llvm_strip.found() and bpftool.found()
         # Can build BPF program from source code in restricted C