[PATCH v2 4/8] livepatch/klp-build: build LoongArch with -fPIC to keep GOT-indirect symbol references

From: George Guo

Date: Mon Jun 08 2026 - 06:42:45 EST


From: George Guo <guodongtai@xxxxxxxxxx>

On LoongArch, klp-build livepatch modules panic when a patched function
references a global defined in the same compilation unit (e.g.
SYSCALL_DEFINE1(newuname) -> 'uts_sem' in kernel/sys.c).

With CONFIG_RELOCATABLE=y the kernel is already -fPIE, so this is not
absolute addressing; the problem is GOT indirection. For a same-unit
global, -fPIE emits a direct PC-relative reference (R_LARCH_PCALA_*) and
skips the GOT, while -fPIC routes it through the GOT (R_LARCH_GOT_PC_*).
klp-build extracts the patched function into a separate module while
'uts_sem' stays in the core kernel, and the klp relocation machinery can
only redirect such a cross-object reference through a GOT entry. The
direct -fPIE reference has no GOT slot to fix up, so once the function is
relocated its target is wrong and it faults.

Force -fPIC for LoongArch KLP builds; -fPIE is not enough, as it
optimizes away the very GOT indirection KLP relies on.

This depends on the preceding patch: -fPIC is passed via KCFLAGS, but the
arch adds -fPIE via KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL, which kbuild applies after
KCFLAGS (so -fPIE would win). That patch's command-line
KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL= assignment replaces the arch value and drops -fPIE,
letting -fPIC take effect. The two patches must stay together.

Co-developed-by: Kexin Liu <liukexin@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Kexin Liu <liukexin@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: George Guo <guodongtai@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
scripts/livepatch/klp-build | 19 +++++++++++++++++--
1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scripts/livepatch/klp-build b/scripts/livepatch/klp-build
index 27fe8824ef12..42cd58aff3d8 100755
--- a/scripts/livepatch/klp-build
+++ b/scripts/livepatch/klp-build
@@ -557,8 +557,15 @@ build_kernel() {
local cmd=()

local ARCH_KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL=""
+ local ARCH_KCFLAGS=""

if [[ -v CONFIG_LOONGARCH && "$CONFIG_LOONGARCH" == "y" ]]; then
+ # -fPIC replaces the kernel's -fPIE (added under CONFIG_RELOCATABLE);
+ # without that config there is no -fPIE to replace.
+ [[ "${CONFIG_RELOCATABLE:-}" == "y" ]] || \
+ die "LoongArch klp-build requires CONFIG_RELOCATABLE=y"
+ ARCH_KCFLAGS="-fPIC"
+
# -mdirect-extern-access only exists under explicit relocs, and this
# function replaces KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL wholesale (safe only then;
# the non-explicit build puts -Wa,-mla-global-with-pcrel there).
@@ -599,8 +606,16 @@ build_kernel() {
cmd+=("-s")
fi
cmd+=("-j$JOBS")
- cmd+=("KCFLAGS=-ffunction-sections -fdata-sections")
- cmd+=("KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL=$ARCH_KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL")
+ cmd+=("KCFLAGS=-ffunction-sections -fdata-sections${ARCH_KCFLAGS:+ $ARCH_KCFLAGS}")
+ # -fPIC is added for KLP via KCFLAGS above; the arch adds -fPIE via
+ # KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL, which kbuild places after KCFLAGS on the
+ # built-in compile line. -fPIC/-fPIE is last-one-wins, so -fPIE would
+ # win. Setting KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL on the command line replaces the
+ # arch value (not append), which drops -fPIE and lets -fPIC win. Only
+ # do this when an arch needs it (LoongArch).
+ if [[ -n "$ARCH_KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL" ]]; then
+ cmd+=("KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL=$ARCH_KBUILD_CFLAGS_KERNEL")
+ fi
cmd+=("vmlinux")
cmd+=("modules")

--
2.25.1