diff --git a/pkg/network/tracer/connection/kprobe/tracer.go b/pkg/network/tracer/connection/kprobe/tracer.go
index 52d7f6737c50f7..0fd21dd880531e 100644
--- a/pkg/network/tracer/connection/kprobe/tracer.go
+++ b/pkg/network/tracer/connection/kprobe/tracer.go
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ var (
 	tracerOffsetGuesserRunner = offsetguess.TracerOffsets.Offsets
 
 	errCORETracerNotSupported = errors.New("CO-RE tracer not supported on this platform")
+
+	rhel9KernelVersion = kernel.VersionCode(5, 14, 0)
 )
 
 // ClassificationSupported returns true if the current kernel version supports the classification feature.
@@ -71,7 +73,23 @@ func ClassificationSupported(config *config.Config) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	return currentKernelVersion >= classificationMinimumKernel
+	if currentKernelVersion < classificationMinimumKernel {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// TODO: fix protocol classification is not supported on RHEL 9+
+	family, err := kernel.Family()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("could not determine OS family: %s", err)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if family == "rhel" && currentKernelVersion >= rhel9KernelVersion {
+		log.Warn("protocol classification is currently not supported on RHEL 9+")
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
 }
 
 // LoadTracer loads the co-re/prebuilt/runtime compiled network tracer, depending on config