diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index ebdbc539c1..9d486b9e4e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -909,7 +909,9 @@ if want_bpf_framework == 'false'
 else
         clang = find_program('clang', required : bpf_framework_required)
         llvm_strip = find_program('llvm-strip', required : bpf_framework_required)
-        bpftool = find_program('bpftool', required : bpf_framework_required)
+        # Debian installs this in /usr/sbin/ which is not in $PATH
+        # FIXME: use the 'dirs' parameter once we bump Meson version to >= 0.53
+        bpftool = find_program('bpftool', '/usr/sbin/bpftool', required : bpf_framework_required)
         bpf_arches = ['x86_64']
         deps_found = libbpf.found() and clang.found() and llvm_strip.found() and bpftool.found()
         # Can build BPF program from source code in restricted C