[PATCH v4 3/4] selftests/pidfd: add CLONE_AUTOREAP tests
From: Christian Brauner
Date: Mon Feb 23 2026 - 05:47:17 EST
Add tests for the new CLONE_AUTOREAP clone3() flag:
- autoreap_without_pidfd: CLONE_AUTOREAP without CLONE_PIDFD works
(fire-and-forget)
- autoreap_rejects_exit_signal: CLONE_AUTOREAP with non-zero
exit_signal fails
- autoreap_rejects_parent: CLONE_AUTOREAP with CLONE_PARENT fails
- autoreap_rejects_thread: CLONE_AUTOREAP with CLONE_THREAD fails
- autoreap_basic: child exits, pidfd poll works, PIDFD_GET_INFO returns
correct exit code, waitpid() returns -ECHILD
- autoreap_signaled: child killed by signal, exit info correct via pidfd
- autoreap_reparent: autoreap grandchild reparented to subreaper still
auto-reaps
- autoreap_multithreaded: autoreap process with sub-threads auto-reaps
after last thread exits
- autoreap_no_inherit: grandchild forked without CLONE_AUTOREAP becomes
a regular zombie
Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner <brauner@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/.gitignore | 1 +
tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/Makefile | 2 +-
.../testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c | 507 +++++++++++++++++++++
3 files changed, 509 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/.gitignore b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/.gitignore
index 144e7ff65d6a..4cd8ec7fd349 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/.gitignore
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/.gitignore
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ pidfd_info_test
pidfd_exec_helper
pidfd_xattr_test
pidfd_setattr_test
+pidfd_autoreap_test
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/Makefile
index 764a8f9ecefa..4211f91e9af8 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ CFLAGS += -g $(KHDR_INCLUDES) $(TOOLS_INCLUDES) -pthread -Wall
TEST_GEN_PROGS := pidfd_test pidfd_fdinfo_test pidfd_open_test \
pidfd_poll_test pidfd_wait pidfd_getfd_test pidfd_setns_test \
pidfd_file_handle_test pidfd_bind_mount pidfd_info_test \
- pidfd_xattr_test pidfd_setattr_test
+ pidfd_xattr_test pidfd_setattr_test pidfd_autoreap_test
TEST_GEN_PROGS_EXTENDED := pidfd_exec_helper
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9e52a16239ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,507 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Brauner <brauner@xxxxxxxxxx>
+
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <linux/types.h>
+#include <poll.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <sched.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <syscall.h>
+#include <sys/ioctl.h>
+#include <sys/prctl.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include "pidfd.h"
+#include "kselftest_harness.h"
+
+#ifndef CLONE_AUTOREAP
+#define CLONE_AUTOREAP 0x400000000ULL
+#endif
+
+static pid_t create_autoreap_child(int *pidfd)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_AUTOREAP,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ .pidfd = ptr_to_u64(pidfd),
+ };
+
+ return sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that CLONE_AUTOREAP works without CLONE_PIDFD (fire-and-forget).
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_without_pidfd)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_AUTOREAP,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ };
+ pid_t pid;
+ int ret;
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0)
+ _exit(0);
+
+ /*
+ * Give the child a moment to exit and be autoreaped.
+ * Then verify no zombie remains.
+ */
+ usleep(200000);
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that CLONE_AUTOREAP with a non-zero exit_signal fails.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_rejects_exit_signal)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_AUTOREAP,
+ .exit_signal = SIGCHLD,
+ };
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ args.pidfd = ptr_to_u64(&pidfd);
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that CLONE_AUTOREAP with CLONE_PARENT fails.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_rejects_parent)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_AUTOREAP | CLONE_PARENT,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ };
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ args.pidfd = ptr_to_u64(&pidfd);
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that CLONE_AUTOREAP with CLONE_THREAD fails.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_rejects_thread)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_AUTOREAP |
+ CLONE_THREAD | CLONE_SIGHAND |
+ CLONE_VM,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ };
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ args.pidfd = ptr_to_u64(&pidfd);
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Basic test: create an autoreap child, let it exit, verify:
+ * - pidfd becomes readable (poll returns POLLIN)
+ * - PIDFD_GET_INFO returns the correct exit code
+ * - waitpid() returns -1/ECHILD (no zombie)
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_basic)
+{
+ struct pidfd_info info = { .mask = PIDFD_INFO_EXIT };
+ int pidfd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = create_autoreap_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0)
+ _exit(42);
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ /* Wait for the child to exit via pidfd poll. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /* Verify exit info via PIDFD_GET_INFO. */
+ ret = ioctl(pidfd, PIDFD_GET_INFO, &info);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(info.mask & PIDFD_INFO_EXIT);
+ /*
+ * exit_code is in waitpid format: for _exit(42),
+ * WIFEXITED is true and WEXITSTATUS is 42.
+ */
+ ASSERT_TRUE(WIFEXITED(info.exit_code));
+ ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(info.exit_code), 42);
+
+ /* Verify no zombie: waitpid should fail with ECHILD. */
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that an autoreap child killed by a signal reports
+ * the correct exit info.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_signaled)
+{
+ struct pidfd_info info = { .mask = PIDFD_INFO_EXIT };
+ int pidfd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = create_autoreap_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ pause();
+ _exit(1);
+ }
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ /* Kill the child. */
+ ret = sys_pidfd_send_signal(pidfd, SIGKILL, NULL, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ /* Wait for exit via pidfd. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /* Verify signal info. */
+ ret = ioctl(pidfd, PIDFD_GET_INFO, &info);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(info.mask & PIDFD_INFO_EXIT);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(WIFSIGNALED(info.exit_code));
+ ASSERT_EQ(WTERMSIG(info.exit_code), SIGKILL);
+
+ /* No zombie. */
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test autoreap survives reparenting: middle process creates an
+ * autoreap grandchild, then exits. The grandchild gets reparented
+ * to us (the grandparent, which is a subreaper). When the grandchild
+ * exits, it should still be autoreaped - no zombie under us.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_reparent)
+{
+ int ipc_sockets[2], ret;
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t mid_pid, grandchild_pid;
+ char buf[32] = {};
+
+ /* Make ourselves a subreaper so reparented children come to us. */
+ ret = prctl(PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER, 1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ ret = socketpair(AF_LOCAL, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0, ipc_sockets);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ mid_pid = fork();
+ ASSERT_GE(mid_pid, 0);
+
+ if (mid_pid == 0) {
+ /* Middle child: create an autoreap grandchild. */
+ int gc_pidfd = -1;
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+
+ grandchild_pid = create_autoreap_child(&gc_pidfd);
+ if (grandchild_pid < 0) {
+ write_nointr(ipc_sockets[1], "E", 1);
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ _exit(1);
+ }
+
+ if (grandchild_pid == 0) {
+ /* Grandchild: wait for signal to exit. */
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ if (gc_pidfd >= 0)
+ close(gc_pidfd);
+ pause();
+ _exit(0);
+ }
+
+ /* Send grandchild PID to grandparent. */
+ snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%d", grandchild_pid);
+ write_nointr(ipc_sockets[1], buf, strlen(buf));
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ if (gc_pidfd >= 0)
+ close(gc_pidfd);
+
+ /* Middle child exits, grandchild gets reparented. */
+ _exit(0);
+ }
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+
+ /* Read grandchild's PID. */
+ ret = read_nointr(ipc_sockets[0], buf, sizeof(buf) - 1);
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+ ASSERT_GT(ret, 0);
+
+ if (buf[0] == 'E') {
+ waitpid(mid_pid, NULL, 0);
+ prctl(PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER, 0);
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ }
+
+ grandchild_pid = atoi(buf);
+ ASSERT_GT(grandchild_pid, 0);
+
+ /* Wait for the middle child to exit. */
+ ret = waitpid(mid_pid, NULL, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, mid_pid);
+
+ /*
+ * Now the grandchild is reparented to us (subreaper).
+ * Open a pidfd for the grandchild and kill it.
+ */
+ pidfd = sys_pidfd_open(grandchild_pid, 0);
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ ret = sys_pidfd_send_signal(pidfd, SIGKILL, NULL, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ /* Wait for it to exit via pidfd poll. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /*
+ * The grandchild should have been autoreaped even though
+ * we (the new parent) haven't set SA_NOCLDWAIT.
+ * waitpid should return -1/ECHILD.
+ */
+ ret = waitpid(grandchild_pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ EXPECT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ EXPECT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pidfd);
+
+ /* Clean up subreaper status. */
+ prctl(PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER, 0);
+}
+
+static int thread_sock_fd;
+
+static void *thread_func(void *arg)
+{
+ /* Signal parent we're running. */
+ write_nointr(thread_sock_fd, "1", 1);
+
+ /* Give main thread time to call _exit() first. */
+ usleep(200000);
+
+ return NULL;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that an autoreap child with multiple threads is properly
+ * autoreaped only after all threads have exited.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_multithreaded)
+{
+ struct pidfd_info info = { .mask = PIDFD_INFO_EXIT };
+ int ipc_sockets[2], ret;
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+ char c;
+
+ ret = socketpair(AF_LOCAL, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0, ipc_sockets);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ pid = create_autoreap_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL) {
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ }
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ pthread_t thread;
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+
+ /*
+ * Create a sub-thread that outlives the main thread.
+ * The thread signals readiness, then sleeps.
+ * The main thread waits briefly, then calls _exit().
+ */
+ thread_sock_fd = ipc_sockets[1];
+ pthread_create(&thread, NULL, thread_func, NULL);
+ pthread_detach(thread);
+
+ /* Wait for thread to be running. */
+ usleep(100000);
+
+ /* Main thread exits; sub-thread is still alive. */
+ _exit(99);
+ }
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+
+ /* Wait for the sub-thread to signal readiness. */
+ ret = read_nointr(ipc_sockets[0], &c, 1);
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+
+ /* Wait for the process to fully exit via pidfd poll. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /* Verify exit info. */
+ ret = ioctl(pidfd, PIDFD_GET_INFO, &info);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(info.mask & PIDFD_INFO_EXIT);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(WIFEXITED(info.exit_code));
+ ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(info.exit_code), 99);
+
+ /* No zombie. */
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that autoreap is NOT inherited by grandchildren.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_no_inherit)
+{
+ int ipc_sockets[2], ret;
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+ char buf[2] = {};
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+
+ ret = socketpair(AF_LOCAL, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0, ipc_sockets);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+
+ pid = create_autoreap_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL) {
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ }
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ pid_t gc;
+ int status;
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+
+ /* Autoreap child forks a grandchild (without autoreap). */
+ gc = fork();
+ if (gc < 0) {
+ write_nointr(ipc_sockets[1], "E", 1);
+ _exit(1);
+ }
+ if (gc == 0) {
+ /* Grandchild: exit immediately. */
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ _exit(77);
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * The grandchild should become a regular zombie
+ * since it was NOT created with CLONE_AUTOREAP.
+ * Wait for it to verify.
+ */
+ ret = waitpid(gc, &status, 0);
+ if (ret == gc && WIFEXITED(status) &&
+ WEXITSTATUS(status) == 77) {
+ write_nointr(ipc_sockets[1], "P", 1);
+ } else {
+ write_nointr(ipc_sockets[1], "F", 1);
+ }
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+ _exit(0);
+ }
+
+ close(ipc_sockets[1]);
+
+ ret = read_nointr(ipc_sockets[0], buf, 1);
+ close(ipc_sockets[0]);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+
+ /*
+ * 'P' means the autoreap child was able to waitpid() its
+ * grandchild (correct - grandchild should be a normal zombie,
+ * not autoreaped).
+ */
+ ASSERT_EQ(buf[0], 'P');
+
+ /* Wait for the autoreap child to exit. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+
+ /* Autoreap child itself should be autoreaped. */
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+TEST_HARNESS_MAIN
--
2.47.3