[PATCH net v2] net: gre: fix lltx regression for GRE tunnels with SEQ/CSUM

From: Yun Zhou

Date: Mon Jul 13 2026 - 11:21:57 EST


Before commit 00d066a4d4ed ("netdev_features: convert NETIF_F_LLTX to
dev->lltx"), NETIF_F_LLTX was set unconditionally in both
__gre_tunnel_init() and ip6gre_tnl_init_features() alongside
GRE_FEATURES:

dev->features |= GRE_FEATURES | NETIF_F_LLTX;

When that commit converted NETIF_F_LLTX to the dev->lltx flag, it
placed 'dev->lltx = true' after the SEQ/CSUM early returns instead
of before them. This causes GRE/GRETAP/ip6gre tunnels with SEQ or
CSUM+encap to lose lockless TX, reintroducing _xmit_lock acquisition
around their ndo_start_xmit. Since GRE xmit re-enters the stack via
ip_tunnel_xmit(), holding _xmit_lock risks ABBA deadlock with the
underlay device.

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
lock(&qdisc_xmit_lock_key#6);
lock(&qdisc_xmit_lock_key#3);
lock(&qdisc_xmit_lock_key#6);
lock(&qdisc_xmit_lock_key#3);

Fix by moving dev->lltx = true before the early returns in both
functions, restoring the original unconditional behavior.

Fixes: 00d066a4d4ed ("netdev_features: convert NETIF_F_LLTX to dev->lltx")
Signed-off-by: Yun Zhou <yun.zhou@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
v2:
- also fix the same issue for ipv6

net/ipv4/ip_gre.c | 4 ++--
net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c | 4 ++--
2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/ipv4/ip_gre.c b/net/ipv4/ip_gre.c
index 9fbff16cda1d..8c5ad8ec8d09 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ip_gre.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ip_gre.c
@@ -1018,6 +1018,8 @@ static void __gre_tunnel_init(struct net_device *dev)
dev->features |= GRE_FEATURES;
dev->hw_features |= GRE_FEATURES;

+ dev->lltx = true;
+
/* TCP offload with GRE SEQ is not supported, nor can we support 2
* levels of outer headers requiring an update.
*/
@@ -1029,8 +1031,6 @@ static void __gre_tunnel_init(struct net_device *dev)

dev->features |= NETIF_F_GSO_SOFTWARE;
dev->hw_features |= NETIF_F_GSO_SOFTWARE;
-
- dev->lltx = true;
}

static int ipgre_tunnel_init(struct net_device *dev)
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
index 7c09a269b352..b843116e9b70 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
@@ -1455,6 +1455,8 @@ static void ip6gre_tnl_init_features(struct net_device *dev)
dev->features |= GRE6_FEATURES;
dev->hw_features |= GRE6_FEATURES;

+ dev->lltx = true;
+
/* TCP offload with GRE SEQ is not supported, nor can we support 2
* levels of outer headers requiring an update.
*/
@@ -1466,8 +1468,6 @@ static void ip6gre_tnl_init_features(struct net_device *dev)

dev->features |= NETIF_F_GSO_SOFTWARE;
dev->hw_features |= NETIF_F_GSO_SOFTWARE;
-
- dev->lltx = true;
}

static int ip6gre_tunnel_init_common(struct net_device *dev)
--
2.43.0