diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/bpf_offload.py b/tools/testing/selftests/net/bpf_offload.py
index fd0d959914e4..4a9be8c49561 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/bpf_offload.py
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/bpf_offload.py
@@ -207,9 +207,11 @@ def bpftool_prog_list_wait(expected=0, n_retry=20):
     raise Exception("Time out waiting for program counts to stabilize want %d, have %d" % (expected, nprogs))
 
 def bpftool_map_list_wait(expected=0, n_retry=20, ns=""):
+    nmaps = None
     for i in range(n_retry):
         maps = bpftool_map_list(ns=ns)
-        if len(maps) == expected:
+        nmaps = len(maps)
+        if nmaps == expected:
             return maps
         time.sleep(0.05)
     raise Exception("Time out waiting for map counts to stabilize want %d, have %d" % (expected, nmaps))