diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_split_base_ref.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_split_base_ref.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d611167fa4b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/btf_split_base_ref.c
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/* Copyright (c) 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates. */
+
+#include <test_progs.h>
+#include <bpf/btf.h>
+#include "btf_helpers.h"
+
+/* Fabricate base, split BTF with references to base types needed; then create
+ * split BTF with reference base BTF and ensure expectations are met:
+ *  - only referenced base types from split BTF are present
+ *  - struct/union/enum are represented as FWDs unless anonymous, when they
+ *    are represented in full
+ */
+static void test_split_base_ref(void)
+{
+	struct btf *btf1 = NULL, *btf2 = NULL, *btf3 = NULL, *btf4 = NULL;
+
+	btf1 = btf__new_empty();
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(btf1, "empty_main_btf"))
+		return;
+
+	btf__add_int(btf1, "int", 4, BTF_INT_SIGNED);	/* [1] int */
+	btf__add_ptr(btf1, 1);				/* [2] ptr to int */
+	btf__add_struct(btf1, "s1", 8);			/* [3] struct s1 { */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f1", 2, 0, 0);		/*      int *f1; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_struct(btf1, "", 12);			/* [4] struct { */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f1", 1, 0, 0);		/*	int f1; */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f2", 3, 32, 0);		/*	struct s1 f2; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_int(btf1, "unsigned int", 4, 0);	/* [5] unsigned int */
+	btf__add_union(btf1, "u1", 12);			/* [6] union u1 { */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f1", 1, 0, 0);		/*	int f1; */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f2", 2, 0, 0);		/*	int *f2; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_union(btf1, "", 4);			/* [7] union { */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f1", 1, 0, 0);		/*	int f1; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_enum(btf1, "e1", 4);			/* [8] enum e1 { */
+	btf__add_enum_value(btf1, "v1", 1);		/*	v1 = 1; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_enum(btf1, "", 4);			/* [9] enum { */
+	btf__add_enum_value(btf1, "av1", 2);		/*	av1 = 2; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_enum64(btf1, "e641", 8, true);		/* [10] enum64 { */
+	btf__add_enum64_value(btf1, "v1", 1024);	/*	v1 = 1024; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_enum64(btf1, "", 8, true);		/* [11] enum64 { */
+	btf__add_enum64_value(btf1, "v1", 1025);	/*	v1 = 1025; */
+							/* } */
+	btf__add_struct(btf1, "unneeded", 4);		/* struct unneeded { */
+	btf__add_field(btf1, "f1", 1, 0, 0);		/*	int f1; */
+							/* } */
+	VALIDATE_RAW_BTF(
+		btf1,
+		"[1] INT 'int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=SIGNED",
+		"[2] PTR '(anon)' type_id=1",
+		"[3] STRUCT 's1' size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=2 bits_offset=0",
+		"[4] STRUCT '(anon)' size=12 vlen=2\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0\n"
+		"\t'f2' type_id=3 bits_offset=32",
+		"[5] INT 'unsigned int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=(none)",
+		"[6] UNION 'u1' size=12 vlen=2\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0\n"
+		"\t'f2' type_id=2 bits_offset=0",
+		"[7] UNION '(anon)' size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0",
+		"[8] ENUM 'e1' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1",
+		"[9] ENUM '(anon)' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'av1' val=2",
+		"[10] ENUM64 'e641' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1024",
+		"[11] ENUM64 '(anon)' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1025",
+		"[12] STRUCT 'unneeded' size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0");
+
+	btf2 = btf__new_empty_split(btf1);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(btf2, "empty_split_btf"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	btf__add_ptr(btf2, 3);				/* [9] ptr to struct s1 */
+	/* add ptr to struct anon */
+	btf__add_ptr(btf2, 4);				/* [10] ptr to struct (anon) */
+	btf__add_const(btf2, 6);			/* [11] const union u1 */
+	btf__add_restrict(btf2, 7);			/* [12] restrict union (anon) */
+	btf__add_volatile(btf2, 8);			/* [13] volatile enum e1 */
+	btf__add_typedef(btf2, "et", 9);		/* [14] typedef enum (anon) */
+	btf__add_const(btf2, 10);			/* [15] const enum64 e641 */
+	btf__add_ptr(btf2, 11);				/* [16] restrict enum64 (anon) */
+
+	VALIDATE_RAW_BTF(
+		btf2,
+		"[1] INT 'int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=SIGNED",
+		"[2] PTR '(anon)' type_id=1",
+		"[3] STRUCT 's1' size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=2 bits_offset=0",
+		"[4] STRUCT '(anon)' size=12 vlen=2\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0\n"
+		"\t'f2' type_id=3 bits_offset=32",
+		"[5] INT 'unsigned int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=(none)",
+		"[6] UNION 'u1' size=12 vlen=2\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0\n"
+		"\t'f2' type_id=2 bits_offset=0",
+		"[7] UNION '(anon)' size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0",
+		"[8] ENUM 'e1' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1",
+		"[9] ENUM '(anon)' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'av1' val=2",
+		"[10] ENUM64 'e641' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1024",
+		"[11] ENUM64 '(anon)' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1025",
+		"[12] STRUCT 'unneeded' size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0",
+		"[13] PTR '(anon)' type_id=3",
+		"[14] PTR '(anon)' type_id=4",
+		"[15] CONST '(anon)' type_id=6",
+		"[16] RESTRICT '(anon)' type_id=7",
+		"[17] VOLATILE '(anon)' type_id=8",
+		"[18] TYPEDEF 'et' type_id=9",
+		"[19] CONST '(anon)' type_id=10",
+		"[20] PTR '(anon)' type_id=11");
+
+	btf3 = btf__new_split_base_ref(btf2);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(btf1, "new_split_base_ref"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	btf4 = (struct btf *)btf__base_btf(btf3);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(btf4, "base_ref_btf"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	VALIDATE_RAW_BTF(
+		btf3,
+		"[1] INT 'int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=SIGNED",
+		"[2] FWD 's1' fwd_kind=struct",
+		"[3] STRUCT '(anon)' size=12 vlen=2\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0\n"
+		"\t'f2' type_id=2 bits_offset=32",
+		"[4] FWD 'u1' fwd_kind=union",
+		"[5] UNION '(anon)' size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'f1' type_id=1 bits_offset=0",
+		"[6] ENUM 'e1' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=0",
+		"[7] ENUM '(anon)' encoding=UNSIGNED size=4 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'av1' val=2",
+		"[8] ENUM64 'e641' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=0",
+		"[9] ENUM64 '(anon)' encoding=SIGNED size=8 vlen=1\n"
+		"\t'v1' val=1025",
+		"[10] PTR '(anon)' type_id=2",
+		"[11] PTR '(anon)' type_id=3",
+		"[12] CONST '(anon)' type_id=4",
+		"[13] RESTRICT '(anon)' type_id=5",
+		"[14] VOLATILE '(anon)' type_id=6",
+		"[15] TYPEDEF 'et' type_id=7",
+		"[16] CONST '(anon)' type_id=8",
+		"[17] PTR '(anon)' type_id=9");
+
+cleanup:
+	btf__free(btf4);
+	btf__free(btf3);
+	btf__free(btf2);
+	btf__free(btf1);
+}
+
+/* create split reference BTF from vmlinux + split BTF with a few type references;
+ * ensure the resultant split reference BTF is as expected, containing only types
+ * needed to disambiguate references from split BTF.
+ */
+static void test_split_base_ref_vmlinux(void)
+{
+	struct btf *split_btf = NULL, *vmlinux_btf = btf__load_vmlinux_btf();
+	struct btf *split_ref = NULL, *base_ref = NULL;
+	__s32 int_id, sk_buff_id;
+
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(vmlinux_btf, "load_vmlinux"))
+		return;
+	int_id = btf__find_by_name_kind(vmlinux_btf, "int", BTF_KIND_INT);
+	if (!ASSERT_GT(int_id, 0, "find_int"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	sk_buff_id = btf__find_by_name_kind(vmlinux_btf, "sk_buff", BTF_KIND_STRUCT);
+	if (!ASSERT_GT(sk_buff_id, 0, "find_sk_buff_id"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	split_btf = btf__new_empty_split(vmlinux_btf);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(split_btf, "new_split"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	btf__add_typedef(split_btf, "myint", int_id);
+	btf__add_ptr(split_btf, sk_buff_id);
+
+	split_ref = btf__new_split_base_ref(split_btf);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(split_ref, "new_split_base_ref"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	base_ref = (struct btf *)btf__base_btf(split_ref);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(split_ref, "base_ref_btf"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	VALIDATE_RAW_BTF(
+		split_ref,
+		"[1] INT 'int' size=4 bits_offset=0 nr_bits=32 encoding=SIGNED",
+		"[2] FWD 'sk_buff' fwd_kind=struct",
+		"[3] TYPEDEF 'myint' type_id=1",
+		"[4] PTR '(anon)' type_id=2");
+
+cleanup:
+	btf__free(split_ref);
+	btf__free(base_ref);
+	btf__free(split_btf);
+	btf__free(vmlinux_btf);
+}
+
+void test_btf_split_base_ref(void)
+{
+	if (test__start_subtest("split_base_ref"))
+		test_split_base_ref();
+	if (test__start_subtest("split_base_ref_vmlinux"))
+		test_split_base_ref_vmlinux();
+}
