[PATCH] sched/cache: Fix a thread aggregation conflict when there is one runnable task

From: Chen Yu

Date: Sun Jul 26 2026 - 21:39:54 EST


On systems with SD_ASYM_PACKING set at the PKG domain level (e.g.,
with ITMT enabled), the sched_asym() check in sched_balance_find_src_rq()
prevents pulling a single task from a higher-priority CPU to a
lower-priority CPU. This blocks migrate_llc_task migrations where a task
wants to move to its preferred LLC for cache locality.

For example, CPU 0 (highest priority) has a task preferring LLC3,
but the load balancer on CPU 120 (LLC3) cannot pull it because:
sched_asym(PKG_sd, cpu=0, dst_cpu=120) and nr_running == 1
The task remains stuck in the wrong LLC indefinitely.

Fix this by exempting migrate_llc_task from the sched_asym filter.

Fixes: e4c9a4cb244a ("sched/cache: Add migrate_llc_task migration type for cache-aware balancing")
Reported-by: Yi Lai <yi1.lai@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Chen Yu <yu.c.chen@xxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/sched/fair.c | 6 +++++-
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/kernel/sched/fair.c b/kernel/sched/fair.c
index d78467ec6ee1..e6e6fa84c9e1 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/fair.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/fair.c
@@ -12986,8 +12986,12 @@ static struct rq *sched_balance_find_src_rq(struct lb_env *env,
*
* If balancing between cores, let lower priority CPUs help
* SMT cores with more than one busy sibling.
+ *
+ * For migrate_llc_task, skip this check: cache locality
+ * outweighs the asym priority.
*/
- if (sched_asym(env->sd, i, env->dst_cpu) && nr_running == 1)
+ if (sched_asym(env->sd, i, env->dst_cpu) && nr_running == 1 &&
+ env->migration_type != migrate_llc_task)
continue;

switch (env->migration_type) {
--
2.25.1