diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 19c932e8c533..3af8bd838b82 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -13185,7 +13185,7 @@ static int check_kfunc_args(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_call_arg_me
 						      bpf_diag_reg_type_plain(env, reg->type));
 				return -EINVAL;
 			}
-			if (!type_is_non_owning_ref(reg->type))
+			if (!type_is_non_owning_ref(reg->type) && reg_is_referenced(env, reg))
 				meta->arg_owning_ref = true;
 
 			rec = reg_btf_record(reg);