diff --git a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
index 4e933219fec6b..0f37db32a2b16 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/syscall.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(prog_idr_lock);
 static DEFINE_IDR(map_idr);
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(map_idr_lock);
 
-int sysctl_unprivileged_bpf_disabled __read_mostly;
+int sysctl_unprivileged_bpf_disabled __read_mostly = 1;
 
 static const struct bpf_map_ops * const bpf_map_types[] = {
 #define BPF_PROG_TYPE(_id, _ops)