Re: [PATCH] mm/vma: predicate vma_assert_stabilised() on CONFIG_DEBUG_VM
From: Liam R. Howlett
Date: Tue Nov 10 2026 - 10:29:32 EST
On 26/11/10 03:10PM, Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) wrote:
> I introduced commit 17fd82c3abe0 ("mm/vma: add and use
> vma_assert_stabilised()") with the intent of picking up programmatic bugs
> when debugging mm code, but kept the general practice of asserting even
> when CONFIG_DEBUG_VM is not set in line with existing code.
>
> However, it turns out doing so can cause performance regressions,
> especially when asserted in vma_has_anon_rmap() which is referenced in a
> number of hotpaths.
>
> Since the intent was always a debug-only assertion, explicitly check for
> CONFIG_DEBUG_VM and do not assert if it isn't set.
>
> Really all of the assert paths need to be predicated on this, but start
> with this one only, out of caution.
>
> Additionally, since a detached VMA is trivially stabilised (nothing to
> stabilise against), check for this case at the outset, and update
> vma_has_anon_rmap() to not explicitly need to check for this.
>
> This also, importantly, avoids reading any VMA fields if CONFIG_DEBUG_VM is
> not set.
>
> Target the commit which introduced vma_has_anon_rmap() for the fix, as this
> is where the issue started manifesting in practice.
>
> Fixes: 38564710f443 ("mm: implement and use vma_has_anon_rmap(), silence KCSAN")
> Reported-by: Seunghyun An <san55@xxxxxxxx>
> Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20261110000002.1834454-1-san55@xxxxxxxx/
> Signed-off-by: Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) <ljs@xxxxxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Liam R. Howlett (Google) <liam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> Note that vma_is_anon_rmap() was introduced in 7.4, so no need for a cc: stable,
> just needs to be sent to Linus as a hotfix. Thanks!
> ---
> include/linux/mmap_lock.h | 19 ++++++++++++++-----
> mm/vma.h | 3 +--
> 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/include/linux/mmap_lock.h b/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> index 9ccbbcbd7aca..9c3a9c6525c1 100644
> --- a/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> +++ b/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> @@ -408,6 +408,11 @@ static inline void vma_assert_locked(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> vma_assert_write_locked(vma);
> }
>
> +static inline bool vma_is_attached(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> +{
> + return refcount_read(&vma->vm_refcnt);
> +}
> +
> /**
> * vma_assert_stabilised() - assert that this VMA cannot be changed from
> * underneath us either by having a VMA or mmap lock held.
> @@ -418,9 +423,18 @@ static inline void vma_assert_locked(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> *
> * With lockdep disabled we may sometimes race with other threads acquiring the
> * mmap read lock simultaneous with our VMA read lock.
> + *
> + * Assert only if CONFIG_DEBUG_VM is set.
> */
> static inline void vma_assert_stabilised(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> {
> + if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_VM))
> + return;
> +
> + /* Detached VMAs are trivially stabilised. */
> + if (!vma_is_attached(vma))
> + return;
> +
> /*
> * If another thread owns an mmap lock, it may go away at any time, and
> * thus is no guarantee of stability.
> @@ -454,11 +468,6 @@ static inline void vma_assert_stabilised(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> vma_assert_locked(vma);
> }
>
> -static inline bool vma_is_attached(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> -{
> - return refcount_read(&vma->vm_refcnt);
> -}
> -
> /*
> * WARNING: to avoid racing with vma_mark_attached()/vma_mark_detached(), these
> * assertions should be made either under mmap_write_lock or when the object
> diff --git a/mm/vma.h b/mm/vma.h
> index 3fc3b47a954b..05300badd70b 100644
> --- a/mm/vma.h
> +++ b/mm/vma.h
> @@ -278,8 +278,7 @@ static inline pgoff_t vmg_end_pgoff(const struct vma_merge_struct *vmg)
> */
> static inline bool vma_has_anon_rmap(const struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> {
> - if (vma_is_attached(vma))
> - vma_assert_stabilised(vma);
> + vma_assert_stabilised(vma);
> /* KCSAN gets confused about the optimistic check. Silence it. */
> return data_race(vma->anon_vma);
> }
>
> ---
> base-commit: 93d7a816a2df3e907e2719bd12b0073f1285fc5c
> change-id: 20261110-vma-fixup-debug-asserts-2d327fe27f8c
>
> Cheers,
> --
> Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) <ljs@xxxxxxxxxx>
>