diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index f6232aeefb9e..639c2e17df0b 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -1831,8 +1831,8 @@ static int bpf_program__record_reloc(struct bpf_program *prog,
 		return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__RELOC;
 	}
 	if (!shdr_idx || shdr_idx >= SHN_LORESERVE) {
-		pr_warn("relocation: not yet supported relo for non-static global \'%s\' variable in special section (0x%x) found in insns[%d].code 0x%x\n",
-			name, shdr_idx, insn_idx, insn->code);
+		pr_warn("invalid relo for \'%s\' in special section 0x%x; forgot to initialize global var?..\n",
+			name, shdr_idx);
 		return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__RELOC;
 	}
 
@@ -1872,11 +1872,6 @@ static int bpf_program__record_reloc(struct bpf_program *prog,
 		pr_warn("bad data relo against section %u\n", shdr_idx);
 		return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__RELOC;
 	}
-	if (GELF_ST_BIND(sym->st_info) == STB_GLOBAL) {
-		pr_warn("relocation: not yet supported relo for non-static global \'%s\' variable found in insns[%d].code 0x%x\n",
-			name, insn_idx, insn->code);
-		return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__RELOC;
-	}
 	if (!obj->caps.global_data) {
 		pr_warn("relocation: kernel does not support global \'%s\' variable access in insns[%d]\n",
 			name, insn_idx);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_arrays.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_arrays.c
index 96b1f5f3b07a..89951b684282 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_arrays.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_arrays.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_arrays_output {
 	int a2;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_direct.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_direct.c
index 738b34b72655..edc0f7c9e56d 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_direct.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_direct.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_bitfields {
 	/* unsigned bitfields */
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_probed.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_probed.c
index e466e3ab7de4..6c20e433558b 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_probed.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_bitfields_probed.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_bitfields {
 	/* unsigned bitfields */
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_existence.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_existence.c
index c3cac95a19f1..1b7f0ae49cfb 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_existence.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_existence.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_existence_output {
 	int a_exists;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_flavors.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_flavors.c
index 71fd7cebc9d7..b5dbeef540fd 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_flavors.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_flavors.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_flavors {
 	int a;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ints.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ints.c
index ad5c3f59c9c6..c78ab6d28a14 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ints.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ints.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_ints {
 	uint8_t		u8_field;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_kernel.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_kernel.c
index a4b5e0562ed5..5d499ebdc4bd 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_kernel.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_kernel.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_kernel_output {
 	int valid[10];
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_misc.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_misc.c
index 1a36b0856653..292a5c4ee76a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_misc.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_misc.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_misc_output {
 	int a, b, c;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_mods.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_mods.c
index 3199fafede2c..0b28bfacc8fd 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_mods.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_mods.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_mods_output {
 	int a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_nesting.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_nesting.c
index 98238cb64fbd..39279bf0c9db 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_nesting.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_nesting.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_nesting_substruct {
 	int a;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_primitives.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_primitives.c
index 4f3ecb9127bb..ea57973cdd19 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_primitives.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_primitives.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 enum core_reloc_primitives_enum {
 	A = 0,
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ptr_as_arr.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ptr_as_arr.c
index 27f602f00419..d1eb59d4ea64 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ptr_as_arr.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_ptr_as_arr.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_ptr_as_arr {
 	int a;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_size.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_size.c
index 9a92998d9107..9e091124d3bd 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_size.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_core_reloc_size.c
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
 
-static volatile struct data {
+struct {
 	char in[256];
 	char out[256];
-} data;
+} data = {};
 
 struct core_reloc_size_output {
 	int int_sz;
