diff --git a/aya/src/bpf.rs b/aya/src/bpf.rs
index 818a063b..eed006d4 100644
--- a/aya/src/bpf.rs
+++ b/aya/src/bpf.rs
@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@ use std::{
     collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
     ffi::CString,
     fs, io,
-    os::{fd::RawFd, raw::c_int},
+    os::{
+        fd::{OwnedFd, RawFd},
+        raw::c_int,
+    },
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::Arc,
 };
 
 use aya_obj::{
@@ -390,7 +394,7 @@ impl<'a> BpfLoader<'a> {
         let btf_fd = if let Some(features) = &FEATURES.btf() {
             if let Some(btf) = obj.fixup_and_sanitize_btf(features)? {
                 match load_btf(btf.to_bytes(), *verifier_log_level) {
-                    Ok(btf_fd) => Some(btf_fd),
+                    Ok(btf_fd) => Some(Arc::new(btf_fd)),
                     // Only report an error here if the BTF is truely needed, otherwise proceed without.
                     Err(err) => {
                         for program in obj.programs.values() {
@@ -473,7 +477,7 @@ impl<'a> BpfLoader<'a> {
                 obj,
                 fd: None,
                 pinned: false,
-                btf_fd,
+                btf_fd: btf_fd.as_ref().map(Arc::clone),
             };
             let fd = match map.obj.pinning() {
                 PinningType::ByName => {
@@ -543,6 +547,7 @@ impl<'a> BpfLoader<'a> {
                 let section = prog_obj.section.clone();
                 let obj = (prog_obj, function_obj);
 
+                let btf_fd = btf_fd.as_ref().map(Arc::clone);
                 let program = if extensions.contains(name.as_str()) {
                     Program::Extension(Extension {
                         data: ProgramData::new(prog_name, obj, btf_fd, *verifier_log_level),
@@ -993,17 +998,14 @@ pub enum BpfError {
     ProgramError(#[from] ProgramError),
 }
 
-fn load_btf(raw_btf: Vec<u8>, verifier_log_level: VerifierLogLevel) -> Result<RawFd, BtfError> {
+fn load_btf(raw_btf: Vec<u8>, verifier_log_level: VerifierLogLevel) -> Result<OwnedFd, BtfError> {
     let (ret, verifier_log) = retry_with_verifier_logs(10, |logger| {
         bpf_load_btf(raw_btf.as_slice(), logger, verifier_log_level)
     });
-    match ret {
-        Ok(fd) => Ok(fd as RawFd),
-        Err((_, io_error)) => Err(BtfError::LoadError {
-            io_error,
-            verifier_log,
-        }),
-    }
+    ret.map_err(|(_, io_error)| BtfError::LoadError {
+        io_error,
+        verifier_log,
+    })
 }
 
 /// Global data that can be exported to eBPF programs before they are loaded.
diff --git a/aya/src/maps/mod.rs b/aya/src/maps/mod.rs
index fca42110..5dce668e 100644
--- a/aya/src/maps/mod.rs
+++ b/aya/src/maps/mod.rs
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ use std::{
     marker::PhantomData,
     mem,
     ops::Deref,
-    os::fd::{AsRawFd, RawFd},
+    os::fd::{AsFd, AsRawFd, OwnedFd, RawFd},
     path::Path,
     ptr,
+    sync::Arc,
 };
 
 use crate::util::KernelVersion;
@@ -486,7 +487,7 @@ pub(crate) fn check_v_size<V>(map: &MapData) -> Result<(), MapError> {
 pub struct MapData {
     pub(crate) obj: obj::Map,
     pub(crate) fd: Option<RawFd>,
-    pub(crate) btf_fd: Option<RawFd>,
+    pub(crate) btf_fd: Option<Arc<OwnedFd>>,
     /// Indicates if this map has been pinned to bpffs
     pub pinned: bool,
 }
@@ -504,19 +505,23 @@ impl MapData {
         let kernel_version = KernelVersion::current().unwrap();
         #[cfg(test)]
         let kernel_version = KernelVersion::new(0xff, 0xff, 0xff);
-        let fd = bpf_create_map(&c_name, &self.obj, self.btf_fd, kernel_version).map_err(
-            |(code, io_error)| {
-                if kernel_version < KernelVersion::new(5, 11, 0) {
-                    maybe_warn_rlimit();
-                }
+        let fd = bpf_create_map(
+            &c_name,
+            &self.obj,
+            self.btf_fd.as_ref().map(|f| f.as_fd()),
+            kernel_version,
+        )
+        .map_err(|(code, io_error)| {
+            if kernel_version < KernelVersion::new(5, 11, 0) {
+                maybe_warn_rlimit();
+            }
 
-                MapError::CreateError {
-                    name: name.into(),
-                    code,
-                    io_error,
-                }
-            },
-        )? as RawFd;
+            MapError::CreateError {
+                name: name.into(),
+                code,
+                io_error,
+            }
+        })? as RawFd;
 
         self.fd = Some(fd);
 
@@ -639,7 +644,7 @@ impl Clone for MapData {
         MapData {
             obj: self.obj.clone(),
             fd: self.fd.map(|fd| unsafe { libc::dup(fd) }),
-            btf_fd: self.btf_fd,
+            btf_fd: self.btf_fd.as_ref().map(Arc::clone),
             pinned: self.pinned,
         }
     }
diff --git a/aya/src/programs/mod.rs b/aya/src/programs/mod.rs
index f868dfc8..5d25b8cb 100644
--- a/aya/src/programs/mod.rs
+++ b/aya/src/programs/mod.rs
@@ -69,8 +69,9 @@ use libc::ENOSPC;
 use std::{
     ffi::CString,
     io,
-    os::fd::{AsRawFd, IntoRawFd as _, RawFd},
+    os::fd::{AsFd, AsRawFd, IntoRawFd as _, OwnedFd, RawFd},
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::Arc,
 };
 use thiserror::Error;
 
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ProgramData<T: Link> {
     pub(crate) attach_btf_obj_fd: Option<u32>,
     pub(crate) attach_btf_id: Option<u32>,
     pub(crate) attach_prog_fd: Option<RawFd>,
-    pub(crate) btf_fd: Option<RawFd>,
+    pub(crate) btf_fd: Option<Arc<OwnedFd>>,
     pub(crate) verifier_log_level: VerifierLogLevel,
     pub(crate) path: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub(crate) flags: u32,
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ impl<T: Link> ProgramData<T> {
     pub(crate) fn new(
         name: Option<String>,
         obj: (obj::Program, obj::Function),
-        btf_fd: Option<RawFd>,
+        btf_fd: Option<Arc<OwnedFd>>,
         verifier_log_level: VerifierLogLevel,
     ) -> ProgramData<T> {
         ProgramData {
@@ -613,7 +614,7 @@ fn load_program<T: Link>(
         license,
         kernel_version: target_kernel_version,
         expected_attach_type: *expected_attach_type,
-        prog_btf_fd: *btf_fd,
+        prog_btf_fd: btf_fd.as_ref().map(|f| f.as_fd()),
         attach_btf_obj_fd: *attach_btf_obj_fd,
         attach_btf_id: *attach_btf_id,
         attach_prog_fd: *attach_prog_fd,
diff --git a/aya/src/sys/bpf.rs b/aya/src/sys/bpf.rs
index 5a26c57f..858ccc55 100644
--- a/aya/src/sys/bpf.rs
+++ b/aya/src/sys/bpf.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use std::{
     ffi::{CStr, CString},
     io,
     mem::{self, MaybeUninit},
-    os::fd::{FromRawFd as _, OwnedFd, RawFd},
+    os::fd::{AsRawFd, BorrowedFd, FromRawFd as _, OwnedFd, RawFd},
     slice,
 };
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ use crate::{
 pub(crate) fn bpf_create_map(
     name: &CStr,
     def: &obj::Map,
-    btf_fd: Option<RawFd>,
+    btf_fd: Option<BorrowedFd<'_>>,
     kernel_version: KernelVersion,
 ) -> SysResult<c_long> {
     let mut attr = unsafe { mem::zeroed::<bpf_attr>() };
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pub(crate) fn bpf_create_map(
             _ => {
                 u.btf_key_type_id = m.def.btf_key_type_id;
                 u.btf_value_type_id = m.def.btf_value_type_id;
-                u.btf_fd = btf_fd.unwrap_or_default() as u32;
+                u.btf_fd = btf_fd.map(|fd| fd.as_raw_fd()).unwrap_or_default() as u32;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ pub(crate) struct BpfLoadProgramAttrs<'a> {
     pub(crate) license: &'a CStr,
     pub(crate) kernel_version: u32,
     pub(crate) expected_attach_type: Option<bpf_attach_type>,
-    pub(crate) prog_btf_fd: Option<RawFd>,
+    pub(crate) prog_btf_fd: Option<BorrowedFd<'a>>,
     pub(crate) attach_btf_obj_fd: Option<u32>,
     pub(crate) attach_btf_id: Option<u32>,
     pub(crate) attach_prog_fd: Option<RawFd>,
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ pub(crate) fn bpf_load_program(
     let func_info_buf = aya_attr.func_info.func_info_bytes();
 
     if let Some(btf_fd) = aya_attr.prog_btf_fd {
-        u.prog_btf_fd = btf_fd as u32;
+        u.prog_btf_fd = btf_fd.as_raw_fd() as u32;
         if aya_attr.line_info_rec_size > 0 {
             u.line_info = line_info_buf.as_ptr() as *const _ as u64;
             u.line_info_cnt = aya_attr.line_info.len() as u32;
@@ -464,21 +464,8 @@ pub(crate) fn bpf_prog_get_fd_by_id(prog_id: u32) -> Result<OwnedFd, io::Error>
     let mut attr = unsafe { mem::zeroed::<bpf_attr>() };
 
     attr.__bindgen_anon_6.__bindgen_anon_1.prog_id = prog_id;
-
-    match sys_bpf(bpf_cmd::BPF_PROG_GET_FD_BY_ID, &attr) {
-        Ok(v) => {
-            let v = v.try_into().map_err(|_err| {
-                // _err is std::num::TryFromIntError or std::convert::Infallible depending on
-                // target, so we can't ascribe.
-                io::Error::new(
-                    io::ErrorKind::InvalidData,
-                    format!("bpf_prog_get_fd_by_id: invalid fd returned: {}", v),
-                )
-            })?;
-            Ok(unsafe { OwnedFd::from_raw_fd(v) })
-        }
-        Err((_, err)) => Err(err),
-    }
+    // SAFETY: BPF_PROG_GET_FD_BY_ID returns a new file descriptor.
+    unsafe { fd_sys_bpf(bpf_cmd::BPF_PROG_GET_FD_BY_ID, &attr).map_err(|(_, e)| e) }
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn bpf_prog_get_info_by_fd(prog_fd: RawFd) -> Result<bpf_prog_info, io::Error> {
@@ -561,7 +548,7 @@ pub(crate) fn bpf_load_btf(
     raw_btf: &[u8],
     log_buf: &mut [u8],
     verifier_log_level: VerifierLogLevel,
-) -> SysResult<c_long> {
+) -> SysResult<OwnedFd> {
     let mut attr = unsafe { mem::zeroed::<bpf_attr>() };
     let u = unsafe { &mut attr.__bindgen_anon_7 };
     u.btf = raw_btf.as_ptr() as *const _ as u64;
@@ -571,7 +558,23 @@ pub(crate) fn bpf_load_btf(
         u.btf_log_buf = log_buf.as_mut_ptr() as u64;
         u.btf_log_size = log_buf.len() as u32;
     }
-    sys_bpf(bpf_cmd::BPF_BTF_LOAD, &attr)
+    // SAFETY: `BPF_BTF_LOAD` returns a newly created fd.
+    unsafe { fd_sys_bpf(bpf_cmd::BPF_BTF_LOAD, &attr) }
+}
+
+// SAFETY: only use for bpf_cmd that return a new file descriptor on success.
+unsafe fn fd_sys_bpf(cmd: bpf_cmd, attr: &bpf_attr) -> SysResult<OwnedFd> {
+    let fd = sys_bpf(cmd, attr)?;
+    let fd = fd.try_into().map_err(|_| {
+        (
+            fd,
+            io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::InvalidData,
+                format!("{cmd:?}: invalid fd returned: {fd}"),
+            ),
+        )
+    })?;
+    Ok(OwnedFd::from_raw_fd(fd))
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn bpf_btf_get_fd_by_id(id: u32) -> Result<RawFd, io::Error> {