diff --git a/btf_encoder.c b/btf_encoder.c
index 1804500..eabc8d2 100644
--- a/btf_encoder.c
+++ b/btf_encoder.c
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ struct btf_encoder {
 	struct elf_symtab *symtab;
 	bool		  has_index_type,
 			  need_index_type,
-			  skip_encoding_vars,
 			  raw_output,
 			  verbose,
 			  force,
@@ -70,6 +69,7 @@ struct btf_encoder {
 	uint32_t	  array_index_id;
 	struct elf_secinfo secinfo[MAX_ELF_SEC_CNT];
 	size_t             seccnt;
+	enum btf_var_option encode_vars;
 	struct {
 		struct var_info *vars;
 		int		var_cnt;
@@ -1198,24 +1198,25 @@ static int btf_encoder__collect_var(struct btf_encoder *encoder, GElf_Sym *sym,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int btf_encoder__collect_symbols(struct btf_encoder *encoder, bool collect_percpu_vars)
+static int btf_encoder__collect_symbols(struct btf_encoder *encoder)
 {
 	uint32_t sym_sec_idx;
 	uint32_t core_id;
 	GElf_Sym sym;
+	bool collect_vars = (encoder->encode_vars != BTF_VAR_NONE);
 
 	/* cache variables' addresses, preparing for searching in symtab. */
 	encoder->variables.var_cnt = 0;
 
 	/* search within symtab for percpu variables */
 	elf_symtab__for_each_symbol_index(encoder->symtab, core_id, sym, sym_sec_idx) {
-		if (collect_percpu_vars && btf_encoder__collect_var(encoder, &sym, sym_sec_idx))
+		if (collect_vars && btf_encoder__collect_var(encoder, &sym, sym_sec_idx))
 			return -1;
 		if (btf_encoder__collect_function(encoder, &sym))
 			return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (collect_percpu_vars) {
+	if (collect_vars) {
 		if (encoder->variables.var_cnt)
 			qsort(encoder->variables.vars, encoder->variables.var_cnt, sizeof(encoder->variables.vars[0]), var_cmp);
 
@@ -1375,7 +1376,7 @@ out:
 	return err;
 }
 
-struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filename, struct btf *base_btf, bool skip_encoding_vars, bool force, bool gen_floats, bool verbose)
+struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filename, struct btf *base_btf, enum btf_var_option vars, bool force, bool gen_floats, bool verbose)
 {
 	struct btf_encoder *encoder = zalloc(sizeof(*encoder));
 
@@ -1391,11 +1392,11 @@ struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filenam
 
 		encoder->force		 = force;
 		encoder->gen_floats	 = gen_floats;
-		encoder->skip_encoding_vars = skip_encoding_vars;
 		encoder->verbose	 = verbose;
 		encoder->has_index_type  = false;
 		encoder->need_index_type = false;
 		encoder->array_index_id  = 0;
+		encoder->encode_vars	 = vars;
 
 		GElf_Ehdr ehdr;
 
@@ -1445,17 +1446,20 @@ struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filenam
 			encoder->secinfo[shndx].addr = shdr.sh_addr;
 			encoder->secinfo[shndx].sz = shdr.sh_size;
 			encoder->secinfo[shndx].name = secname;
+			if (encoder->encode_vars == BTF_VAR_ALL)
+				encoder->secinfo[shndx].include = true;
 
 			if (strcmp(secname, PERCPU_SECTION) == 0) {
 				encoder->variables.percpu_shndx = shndx;
-				encoder->secinfo[shndx].include = true;
+				if (encoder->encode_vars != BTF_VAR_NONE)
+					encoder->secinfo[shndx].include = true;
 			}
 		}
 
 		if (!encoder->variables.percpu_shndx && encoder->verbose)
 			printf("%s: '%s' doesn't have '%s' section\n", __func__, cu->filename, PERCPU_SECTION);
 
-		if (btf_encoder__collect_symbols(encoder, !encoder->skip_encoding_vars))
+		if (btf_encoder__collect_symbols(encoder))
 			goto out_delete;
 
 		if (encoder->verbose)
@@ -1615,7 +1619,7 @@ int btf_encoder__encode_cu(struct btf_encoder *encoder, struct cu *cu, struct co
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!encoder->skip_encoding_vars)
+	if (encoder->encode_vars != BTF_VAR_NONE)
 		err = btf_encoder__encode_cu_variables(encoder, cu, type_id_off);
 out:
 	return err;
diff --git a/btf_encoder.h b/btf_encoder.h
index a65120c..e03c7cc 100644
--- a/btf_encoder.h
+++ b/btf_encoder.h
@@ -16,7 +16,13 @@ struct btf;
 struct cu;
 struct list_head;
 
-struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filename, struct btf *base_btf, bool skip_encoding_vars, bool force, bool gen_floats, bool verbose);
+enum btf_var_option {
+	BTF_VAR_NONE,
+	BTF_VAR_PERCPU,
+	BTF_VAR_ALL,
+};
+
+struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filename, struct btf *base_btf, enum btf_var_option vars, bool force, bool gen_floats, bool verbose);
 void btf_encoder__delete(struct btf_encoder *encoder);
 
 int btf_encoder__encode(struct btf_encoder *encoder);
diff --git a/man-pages/pahole.1 b/man-pages/pahole.1
index bb88e2f..d21af0a 100644
--- a/man-pages/pahole.1
+++ b/man-pages/pahole.1
@@ -207,7 +207,11 @@ the debugging information.
 
 .TP
 .B \-\-skip_encoding_btf_vars
-Do not encode VARs in BTF.
+.TQ
+.B \-\-encode_all_btf_vars
+By default, VARs are encoded only for percpu variables. These options allow
+to skip encoding them, or to encode all variables regardless of whether they are
+percpu. These options are mutually exclusive.
 
 .TP
 .B \-\-skip_encoding_btf_decl_tag
diff --git a/pahole.c b/pahole.c
index e87d9a4..1f86ffb 100644
--- a/pahole.c
+++ b/pahole.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   Copyright (C) 2006 Mandriva Conectiva S.A.
   Copyright (C) 2006 Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo <acme@mandriva.com>
   Copyright (C) 2007- Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo <acme@redhat.com>
+  Copyright (c) 2022 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
 */
 
 #include <argp.h>
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ static bool ctf_encode;
 static bool sort_output;
 static bool need_resort;
 static bool first_obj_only;
-static bool skip_encoding_btf_vars;
+static enum btf_var_option encode_btf_vars = BTF_VAR_PERCPU;
 static bool btf_encode_force;
 static const char *base_btf_file;
 
@@ -1221,6 +1222,7 @@ ARGP_PROGRAM_VERSION_HOOK_DEF = dwarves_print_version;
 #define ARGP_languages		   335
 #define ARGP_languages_exclude	   336
 #define ARGP_skip_encoding_btf_enum64 337
+#define ARGP_encode_all_btf_vars   338
 
 static const struct argp_option pahole__options[] = {
 	{
@@ -1532,7 +1534,12 @@ static const struct argp_option pahole__options[] = {
 	{
 		.name = "skip_encoding_btf_vars",
 		.key  = ARGP_skip_encoding_btf_vars,
-		.doc  = "Do not encode VARs in BTF."
+		.doc  = "Do not encode any VARs in BTF (default: only percpu)."
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "encode_all_btf_vars",
+		.key  = ARGP_encode_all_btf_vars,
+		.doc  = "Encode all VARs in BTF (default: only percpu)."
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "btf_encode_force",
@@ -1757,8 +1764,6 @@ static error_t pahole__options_parser(int key, char *arg,
 		conf.range = arg;			break;
 	case ARGP_header_type:
 		conf.header_type = arg;			break;
-	case ARGP_skip_encoding_btf_vars:
-		skip_encoding_btf_vars = true;		break;
 	case ARGP_btf_encode_force:
 		btf_encode_force = true;		break;
 	case ARGP_btf_base:
@@ -1795,6 +1800,20 @@ static error_t pahole__options_parser(int key, char *arg,
 		languages.str = arg;			break;
 	case ARGP_skip_encoding_btf_enum64:
 		conf_load.skip_encoding_btf_enum64 = true;	break;
+	case ARGP_skip_encoding_btf_vars:
+		if (encode_btf_vars != BTF_VAR_PERCPU) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "error: --encode_all_btf_vars and --skip_encoding_btf_vars are mutually exclusive\n");
+			return ARGP_HELP_SEE;
+		}
+		encode_btf_vars = BTF_VAR_NONE;
+		break;
+	case ARGP_encode_all_btf_vars:
+		if (encode_btf_vars != BTF_VAR_PERCPU) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "error: --encode_all_btf_vars and --skip_encoding_btf_vars are mutually exclusive\n");
+			return ARGP_HELP_SEE;
+		}
+		encode_btf_vars = BTF_VAR_ALL;
+		break;
 	default:
 		return ARGP_ERR_UNKNOWN;
 	}
@@ -3034,7 +3053,7 @@ static enum load_steal_kind pahole_stealer(struct cu *cu,
 			 * And, it is used by the thread
 			 * create it.
 			 */
-			btf_encoder = btf_encoder__new(cu, detached_btf_filename, conf_load->base_btf, skip_encoding_btf_vars,
+			btf_encoder = btf_encoder__new(cu, detached_btf_filename, conf_load->base_btf, encode_btf_vars,
 						       btf_encode_force, btf_gen_floats, global_verbose);
 			if (btf_encoder && thr_data) {
 				struct thread_data *thread = thr_data;
@@ -3064,7 +3083,7 @@ static enum load_steal_kind pahole_stealer(struct cu *cu,
 				thread->encoder =
 					btf_encoder__new(cu, detached_btf_filename,
 							 NULL,
-							 skip_encoding_btf_vars,
+							 encode_btf_vars,
 							 btf_encode_force,
 							 btf_gen_floats,
 							 global_verbose);
