diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/global_map_resize.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/global_map_resize.c
index 56b5baef35c8..602ce30f1720 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/global_map_resize.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/global_map_resize.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ static void global_map_resize_bss_subtest(void)
 	struct bpf_map *map;
 	const __u32 desired_sz = sizeof(skel->bss->sum) + sysconf(_SC_PAGE_SIZE) * 2;
 	size_t array_len, actual_sz, new_sz;
+	int *array;
 
 	skel = test_global_map_resize__open();
 	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(skel, "test_global_map_resize__open"))
@@ -58,10 +59,13 @@ static void global_map_resize_bss_subtest(void)
 		goto teardown;
 
 	/* fill the newly resized array with ones,
-	 * skipping the first element which was previously set
+	 * skipping the first element which was previously set;
+	 * access through a plain pointer to avoid -Warray-bounds
+	 * since the array was resized beyond its declared length.
 	 */
+	array = skel->bss->array;
 	for (int i = 1; i < array_len; i++)
-		skel->bss->array[i] = 1;
+		array[i] = 1;
 
 	/* set global const values before loading */
 	skel->rodata->pid = getpid();