[PATCH sched_ext/for-7.1-fixes] sched_ext: Fix deadlock between scx_root_disable() and concurrent forks

From: Tejun Heo

Date: Sat May 16 2026 - 20:41:32 EST


scx_root_disable() enters SCX_DISABLING before it grabs scx_enable_mutex to
clear [__]scx_switching_all. task_should_scx() short-circuits on DISABLING,
so forks in that window land on fair while next_active_class() still skips
fair - the new tasks stall.

This can deadlock the disable path itself: scx_alloc_and_add_sched() runs
under scx_enable_mutex and creates a helper kthread; if that new kthread is
one of the stalled fair tasks, the mutex holder waits forever and
scx_root_disable() can never make progress. Only sub-sched support exposes
this, since sub-sched enables are the only path where
scx_alloc_and_add_sched() can race the root's disable.

Move the DISABLING check after @scx_switching_all so that whenever
@scx_switching_all is set, forks keep going to scx and stay in lockstep with
__scx_switched_all. Once both are cleared (together under the mutex),
DISABLING applies normally.

Fixes: 337ec00b1d9c ("sched_ext: Implement cgroup sub-sched enabling and disabling")
Signed-off-by: Tejun Heo <tj@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/sched/ext.c | 23 ++++++++++++++++++++++-
1 file changed, 22 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -5092,10 +5092,31 @@ static const struct kset_uevent_ops scx_
*/
bool task_should_scx(int policy)
{
- if (!scx_enabled() || unlikely(scx_enable_state() == SCX_DISABLING))
+ /* if disabled, nothing should be on it */
+ if (!scx_enabled())
return false;
+
+ /* scx is taking over all SCHED_OTHER and SCHED_EXT tasks */
if (READ_ONCE(scx_switching_all))
return true;
+
+ /*
+ * scx is tearing down - keep new SCHED_EXT tasks out.
+ *
+ * Must come after scx_switching_all test. While both are set, we must
+ * return true via the branch above: [__]scx_switching_all are cleared
+ * together under scx_enable_mutex, and a fork routed to fair while
+ * __scx_switched_all is still on would stall because
+ * next_active_class() skips fair.
+ *
+ * This can develop into a deadlock - scx holds scx_enable_mutex across
+ * kthread_create() in scx_alloc_and_add_sched(); if the new kthread is
+ * the stalled task, the disable path can never grab the mutex to clear
+ * scx_switching_all.
+ */
+ if (unlikely(scx_enable_state() == SCX_DISABLING))
+ return false;
+
return policy == SCHED_EXT;
}