diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 05c4db355f28..d07a0d7b9edd 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -9747,7 +9747,7 @@ struct bpf_link *bpf_program__attach_perf_event_opts(const struct bpf_program *p
 	link->link.dealloc = &bpf_link_perf_dealloc;
 	link->perf_event_fd = pfd;
 
-	if (kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_PERF_LINK)) {
+	if (kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_PERF_LINK) && !opts->force_ioctl_attach) {
 		DECLARE_LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_link_create_opts, link_opts,
 			.perf_event.bpf_cookie = OPTS_GET(opts, bpf_cookie, 0));
 
@@ -10106,6 +10106,7 @@ bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog,
 				const struct bpf_kprobe_opts *opts)
 {
 	DECLARE_LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_perf_event_opts, pe_opts);
+	enum probe_attach_mode attach_mode;
 	char errmsg[STRERR_BUFSIZE];
 	char *legacy_probe = NULL;
 	struct bpf_link *link;
@@ -10116,11 +10117,30 @@ bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog,
 	if (!OPTS_VALID(opts, bpf_kprobe_opts))
 		return libbpf_err_ptr(-EINVAL);
 
+	attach_mode = OPTS_GET(opts, attach_mode, PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_DEFAULT);
 	retprobe = OPTS_GET(opts, retprobe, false);
 	offset = OPTS_GET(opts, offset, 0);
 	pe_opts.bpf_cookie = OPTS_GET(opts, bpf_cookie, 0);
 
 	legacy = determine_kprobe_perf_type() < 0;
+	switch (attach_mode) {
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LEGACY:
+		legacy = true;
+		pe_opts.force_ioctl_attach = true;
+		break;
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_PERF:
+		if (legacy)
+			return libbpf_err_ptr(-ENOTSUP);
+		pe_opts.force_ioctl_attach = true;
+		break;
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LINK:
+		if (!kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_PERF_LINK))
+			return libbpf_err_ptr(-ENOTSUP);
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
 	if (!legacy) {
 		pfd = perf_event_open_probe(false /* uprobe */, retprobe,
 					    func_name, offset,
@@ -10774,6 +10794,7 @@ bpf_program__attach_uprobe_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog, pid_t pid,
 {
 	DECLARE_LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_perf_event_opts, pe_opts);
 	char errmsg[STRERR_BUFSIZE], *legacy_probe = NULL;
+	enum probe_attach_mode attach_mode;
 	char full_binary_path[PATH_MAX];
 	struct bpf_link *link;
 	size_t ref_ctr_off;
@@ -10784,6 +10805,7 @@ bpf_program__attach_uprobe_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog, pid_t pid,
 	if (!OPTS_VALID(opts, bpf_uprobe_opts))
 		return libbpf_err_ptr(-EINVAL);
 
+	attach_mode = OPTS_GET(opts, attach_mode, PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_DEFAULT);
 	retprobe = OPTS_GET(opts, retprobe, false);
 	ref_ctr_off = OPTS_GET(opts, ref_ctr_offset, 0);
 	pe_opts.bpf_cookie = OPTS_GET(opts, bpf_cookie, 0);
@@ -10812,6 +10834,24 @@ bpf_program__attach_uprobe_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog, pid_t pid,
 	}
 
 	legacy = determine_uprobe_perf_type() < 0;
+	switch (attach_mode) {
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LEGACY:
+		legacy = true;
+		pe_opts.force_ioctl_attach = true;
+		break;
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_PERF:
+		if (legacy)
+			return libbpf_err_ptr(-ENOTSUP);
+		pe_opts.force_ioctl_attach = true;
+		break;
+	case PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LINK:
+		if (!kernel_supports(prog->obj, FEAT_PERF_LINK))
+			return libbpf_err_ptr(-ENOTSUP);
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
 	if (!legacy) {
 		pfd = perf_event_open_probe(true /* uprobe */, retprobe, binary_path,
 					    func_offset, pid, ref_ctr_off);
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index 2efd80f6f7b9..ef8f68da42f9 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -451,8 +451,11 @@ struct bpf_perf_event_opts {
 	size_t sz;
 	/* custom user-provided value fetchable through bpf_get_attach_cookie() */
 	__u64 bpf_cookie;
+	/* don't use bpf_link when attach eBPF program */
+	bool force_ioctl_attach;
+	size_t :0;
 };
-#define bpf_perf_event_opts__last_field bpf_cookie
+#define bpf_perf_event_opts__last_field force_ioctl_attach
 
 LIBBPF_API struct bpf_link *
 bpf_program__attach_perf_event(const struct bpf_program *prog, int pfd);
@@ -461,6 +464,24 @@ LIBBPF_API struct bpf_link *
 bpf_program__attach_perf_event_opts(const struct bpf_program *prog, int pfd,
 				    const struct bpf_perf_event_opts *opts);
 
+
+/**
+ * enum probe_attach_mode - the mode to attach kprobe/uprobe
+ *
+ * force libbpf to attach kprobe/uprobe in specific mode, -ENOTSUP will
+ * be returned if it is not supported by the kernel.
+ */
+enum probe_attach_mode {
+	/* attach probe in latest supported mode by kernel */
+	PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_DEFAULT = 0,
+	/* attach probe in legacy mode */
+	PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LEGACY,
+	/* create perf event with perf_event_open() syscall */
+	PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_PERF,
+	/* attach probe with bpf_link */
+	PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LINK,
+};
+
 struct bpf_kprobe_opts {
 	/* size of this struct, for forward/backward compatiblity */
 	size_t sz;
@@ -470,9 +491,11 @@ struct bpf_kprobe_opts {
 	size_t offset;
 	/* kprobe is return probe */
 	bool retprobe;
+	/* kprobe attach mode */
+	enum probe_attach_mode attach_mode;
 	size_t :0;
 };
-#define bpf_kprobe_opts__last_field retprobe
+#define bpf_kprobe_opts__last_field attach_mode
 
 LIBBPF_API struct bpf_link *
 bpf_program__attach_kprobe(const struct bpf_program *prog, bool retprobe,
@@ -570,9 +593,11 @@ struct bpf_uprobe_opts {
 	 * binary_path.
 	 */
 	const char *func_name;
+	/* uprobe attach mode */
+	enum probe_attach_mode attach_mode;
 	size_t :0;
 };
-#define bpf_uprobe_opts__last_field func_name
+#define bpf_uprobe_opts__last_field attach_mode
 
 /**
  * @brief **bpf_program__attach_uprobe()** attaches a BPF program
