[PATCH sched_ext/for-7.0-fixes] sched_ext: Disable preemption between scx_claim_exit() and kicking helper work
From: Tejun Heo
Date: Wed Feb 25 2026 - 00:01:10 EST
scx_claim_exit() atomically sets exit_kind, which prevents scx_error() from
triggering further error handling. After claiming exit, the caller must kick
the helper kthread work which initiates bypass mode and teardown.
If the calling task gets preempted between claiming exit and kicking the
helper work, and the BPF scheduler fails to schedule it back (since error
handling is now disabled), the helper work is never queued, bypass mode
never activates, tasks stop being dispatched, and the system wedges.
Disable preemption across scx_claim_exit() and the subsequent work kicking
in all callers - scx_disable() and scx_vexit(). Add
lockdep_assert_preemption_disabled() to scx_claim_exit() to enforce the
requirement.
Fixes: a69040ed57f5 ("sched_ext: Simplify breather mechanism with scx_aborting flag")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx # v6.19+
Signed-off-by: Tejun Heo <tj@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/sched/ext.c | 12 ++++++++++++
1 file changed, 12 insertions(+)
diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index c18e81e8ef51..9280381f8923 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -4423,10 +4423,19 @@ static void scx_disable_workfn(struct kthread_work *work)
scx_bypass(false);
}
+/*
+ * Claim the exit on @sch. The caller must ensure that the helper kthread work
+ * is kicked before the current task can be preempted. Once exit_kind is
+ * claimed, scx_error() can no longer trigger, so if the current task gets
+ * preempted and the BPF scheduler fails to schedule it back, the helper work
+ * will never be kicked and the whole system can wedge.
+ */
static bool scx_claim_exit(struct scx_sched *sch, enum scx_exit_kind kind)
{
int none = SCX_EXIT_NONE;
+ lockdep_assert_preemption_disabled();
+
if (!atomic_try_cmpxchg(&sch->exit_kind, &none, kind))
return false;
@@ -4449,6 +4458,7 @@ static void scx_disable(enum scx_exit_kind kind)
rcu_read_lock();
sch = rcu_dereference(scx_root);
if (sch) {
+ guard(preempt)();
scx_claim_exit(sch, kind);
kthread_queue_work(sch->helper, &sch->disable_work);
}
@@ -4771,6 +4781,8 @@ static bool scx_vexit(struct scx_sched *sch,
{
struct scx_exit_info *ei = sch->exit_info;
+ guard(preempt)();
+
if (!scx_claim_exit(sch, kind))
return false;
--
2.53.0