Re: [PATCH net] devlink: request flash firmware without instance lock

[Andrew Lunn]

On Sat, Aug 29, 2026 at 04:24:40PM +0200, Miguel Garcia wrote:
> request_firmware() may enter the userspace fallback and call
> try_to_freeze(). Holding the devlink instance lock across that call
> triggers a lockdep warning and can block unregister for the duration of
> the firmware fallback.
> 
> Drop the instance lock around firmware loading in both flash update paths.
> The callers hold a devlink reference, which also pins the parent device.
> Recheck registration after reacquiring the lock before calling into the
> driver.
> 
> Fixes: b44cfd4f5b91 ("devlink: move request_firmware out of driver")

Jacob Keller was the author of this patch. It would be good to Cc:
him.

	Andrew