[PATCH] fs: don't return -EINVAL for successful nested thaw

From: Moritz Tanner

Date: Fri Aug 21 2026 - 05:00:21 EST


Commit 7366f8b6fc6a ("fs: handle freezing from multiple devices")
replaced the freeze_holders bitmask with per-holder counters to allow
nested freezes. In the bitmask version, a thaw that released a shared
hold while another holder remained returned 0. Since the rework,
thaw_super_locked() drops the freeze reference via freeze_dec() but
then returns -EINVAL when other freezers remain, misinforming the
caller: the thaw did succeed, the superblock just stays frozen for the
remaining holders.

This breaks bdev-initiated freezing. When a filesystem is frozen with
FIFREEZE and additionally frozen via bdev_freeze() -- which nests by
design, see fs_bdev_freeze() -- the subsequent bdev_thaw() receives
-EINVAL from the holder op although its freeze reference was dropped,
and therefore keeps bd_fsfreeze_count elevated. Then device-mapper's
unlock_fs() ignores bdev_thaw()'s return value, so nothing rebalances
the count. After the user's FITHAW and umount, the block device can
never be mounted again:

dm-1: Can't mount, blockdev is frozen

There is no way for userspace to drop the leaked count; only
destroying the block device (or a reboot) recovers the device.

Reproducer (any kernel since v6.8):

dmsetup create dut --table "0 $(blockdev --getsz "$DEV") linear $DEV 0"
mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/dut
mount /dev/mapper/dut /mnt
fsfreeze --freeze /mnt # freeze_ucount == 1
dmsetup suspend dut # bd_fsfreeze_count == 1, ucount == 2
dmsetup resume dut # ucount 2 -> 1, but thaw_super()
# returns -EINVAL, so bdev_thaw()
# keeps bd_fsfreeze_count at 1
fsfreeze --unfreeze /mnt # filesystem thaws fine
umount /mnt
mount /dev/mapper/dut /mnt # EBUSY, forever

The same happens with fsfreeze held across an LVM snapshot of the
origin volume.

fs_bdev_thaw()'s documentation already describes the intended
semantics: "If this function returns zero it doesn't mean that the
filesystem is unfrozen as it may have been frozen multiple times".
Restore them by returning 0 when a nested thaw drops its hold while
other freezers remain. Thawing without holding a freeze still fails
with -EINVAL as may_unfreeze() rejects that case before the reference
count is touched.

Fixes: 7366f8b6fc6a ("fs: handle freezing from multiple devices")
Cc: <stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> # needs adjustments for < 6.17 (no may_unfreeze())
Signed-off-by: Moritz Tanner <moritz.tanner@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
fs/super.c | 9 ++++++---
1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/super.c b/fs/super.c
index 05e443173038..01db6124e409 100644
--- a/fs/super.c
+++ b/fs/super.c
@@ -2369,11 +2369,14 @@ static int thaw_super_locked(struct super_block *sb, enum freeze_holder who,
goto out_unlock;

/*
- * All freezers share a single active reference.
- * So just unlock in case there are any left.
+ * All freezers share a single active reference. If other freezers
+ * remain, drop our hold and report success; the superblock stays
+ * frozen until the last holder thaws it.
*/
- if (freeze_dec(sb, who))
+ if (freeze_dec(sb, who)) {
+ error = 0;
goto out_unlock;
+ }

if (sb_rdonly(sb)) {
sb->s_writers.frozen = SB_UNFROZEN;
--
2.55.0