drivers/md/dm-init.c | 14 ++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+)
From: "jaeyuel.im" <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
The current implementation of dm_init_init() uses early_lookup_bdev() to
wait for the device node to appear. However, early_lookup_bdev() only
verifies that the device node exists and returns the dev_t. It does not
guarantee that the underlying block device structure is fully initialized
and ready for I/O operations or to be opened.
On certain platforms (e.g., embedded systems with specific storage
drivers), this can lead to a race condition where dm_early_create()
attempts to open the device immediately after early_lookup_bdev() returns,
but fails because the device is not yet fully ready. This results in boot
failures as the mapped device cannot be created.
This patch adds an additional check using blkdev_get_no_open() after
early_lookup_bdev() returns. This ensures that the struct block_device is
actually available and the device is ready to be opened, effectively
preventing the race condition.
Changes in v2:
- Pass autoload parameter for new blkdev_get_no_open()
Signed-off-by: jaeyuel.im <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
---
drivers/md/dm-init.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 14 insertions(+)
diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-init.c b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
index b37bbe762500..b3905e094ffc 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-init.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
@@ -296,10 +296,24 @@ static int __init dm_init_init(void)
for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(waitfor); i++) {
if (waitfor[i]) {
dev_t dev;
+ struct block_device *bdev;
DMINFO("waiting for device %s ...", waitfor[i]);
while (early_lookup_bdev(waitfor[i], &dev))
fsleep(5000);
+
+ /*
+ * early_lookup_bdev() only checks if the device node exists and
+ * returns the dev_t. It does not guarantee that the underlying
+ * block device is fully initialized and ready to be opened. On
+ * some platforms, this can lead to a race condition where
+ * dm_early_create() fails because the device is not yet ready.
+ * Ensure the block device is truly available by attempting to
+ * get it.
+ */
+ while (!(bdev = blkdev_get_no_open(dev, false)))
+ fsleep(5000);
+ blkdev_put_no_open(bdev);
}
}
--
2.34.1
On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 12:09:55AM +0000, jaeyuel.im@lge.com wrote:
>From: "jaeyuel.im" <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
>
>The current implementation of dm_init_init() uses early_lookup_bdev() to
>wait for the device node to appear. However, early_lookup_bdev() only
>verifies that the device node exists and returns the dev_t. It does not
>guarantee that the underlying block device structure is fully initialized
>and ready for I/O operations or to be opened.
>
>On certain platforms (e.g., embedded systems with specific storage
>drivers), this can lead to a race condition where dm_early_create()
>attempts to open the device immediately after early_lookup_bdev() returns,
>but fails because the device is not yet fully ready. This results in boot
>failures as the mapped device cannot be created.
>
>This patch adds an additional check using blkdev_get_no_open() after
>early_lookup_bdev() returns. This ensures that the struct block_device is
>actually available and the device is ready to be opened, effectively
>preventing the race condition.
>
>Changes in v2:
>- Pass autoload parameter for new blkdev_get_no_open()
>
>Signed-off-by: jaeyuel.im <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
>---
> drivers/md/dm-init.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+)
>
>diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-init.c b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
>index b37bbe762500..b3905e094ffc 100644
>--- a/drivers/md/dm-init.c
>+++ b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
>@@ -296,10 +296,24 @@ static int __init dm_init_init(void)
> for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(waitfor); i++) {
> if (waitfor[i]) {
> dev_t dev;
>+ struct block_device *bdev;
>
> DMINFO("waiting for device %s ...", waitfor[i]);
> while (early_lookup_bdev(waitfor[i], &dev))
> fsleep(5000);
>+
>+ /*
>+ * early_lookup_bdev() only checks if the device node exists and
>+ * returns the dev_t. It does not guarantee that the underlying
>+ * block device is fully initialized and ready to be opened. On
>+ * some platforms, this can lead to a race condition where
>+ * dm_early_create() fails because the device is not yet ready.
>+ * Ensure the block device is truly available by attempting to
>+ * get it.
>+ */
>+ while (!(bdev = blkdev_get_no_open(dev, false)))
This breaks the build when CONFIG_DM_INIT=y:
drivers/md/dm-init.c:314:41: error: implicit declaration of function 'blkdev_get_no_open'; did you mean 'blkdev_get_zone_info'? [-Wimplicit-function-declaration]
314 | while (!(bdev = blkdev_get_no_open(dev, false)))
drivers/md/dm-init.c:316:25: error: implicit declaration of function 'blkdev_put_no_open' [-Wimplicit-function-declaration]
316 | blkdev_put_no_open(bdev);
The problem is that blkdev_get_no_open() and blkdev_put_no_open() are declared
in block/blk.h, which is internal to the block layer and not accessible from
drivers/md/. These functions need to be exported to a public header, or
dm-init.c needs to use a different API.
--
Thanks,
Sasha
From: "jaeyuel.im" <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
The current implementation of dm_init_init() uses early_lookup_bdev() to
wait for the device node to appear. However, early_lookup_bdev() only
verifies that the device node exists and returns the dev_t. It does not
guarantee that the underlying block device structure is fully initialized
and ready for I/O operations or to be opened.
On certain platforms (e.g., embedded systems with specific storage
drivers), this can lead to a race condition where dm_early_create()
attempts to open the device immediately after early_lookup_bdev() returns,
but fails because the device is not yet fully ready. This results in boot
failures as the mapped device cannot be created.
This patch adds an additional check using blkdev_get_no_open() after
early_lookup_bdev() returns. This ensures that the struct block_device is
actually available and the device is ready to be opened, effectively
preventing the race condition.
Changes in v2:
- Pass autoload parameter for new blkdev_get_no_open()
Changes in v3:
- Exported to a public header for both blkdev_get_no_open() and
blkdev_put_no_open()
Link: https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/dm-devel/patch/20251212000955.171808-1-jaeyuel.im@lge.com/
Signed-off-by: jaeyuel.im <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
---
drivers/md/dm-init.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
include/linux/blkdev.h | 3 +++
2 files changed, 17 insertions(+)
diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-init.c b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
index b37bbe762500..b3905e094ffc 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-init.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-init.c
@@ -296,10 +296,24 @@ static int __init dm_init_init(void)
for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(waitfor); i++) {
if (waitfor[i]) {
dev_t dev;
+ struct block_device *bdev;
DMINFO("waiting for device %s ...", waitfor[i]);
while (early_lookup_bdev(waitfor[i], &dev))
fsleep(5000);
+
+ /*
+ * early_lookup_bdev() only checks if the device node exists and
+ * returns the dev_t. It does not guarantee that the underlying
+ * block device is fully initialized and ready to be opened. On
+ * some platforms, this can lead to a race condition where
+ * dm_early_create() fails because the device is not yet ready.
+ * Ensure the block device is truly available by attempting to
+ * get it.
+ */
+ while (!(bdev = blkdev_get_no_open(dev, false)))
+ fsleep(5000);
+ blkdev_put_no_open(bdev);
}
}
diff --git a/include/linux/blkdev.h b/include/linux/blkdev.h
index 72e34acd439c..7f4a05b536ca 100644
--- a/include/linux/blkdev.h
+++ b/include/linux/blkdev.h
@@ -1873,4 +1873,7 @@ static inline int bio_split_rw_at(struct bio *bio,
#define DEFINE_IO_COMP_BATCH(name) struct io_comp_batch name = { }
+struct block_device *blkdev_get_no_open(dev_t dev, bool autoload);
+void blkdev_put_no_open(struct block_device *bdev);
+
#endif /* _LINUX_BLKDEV_H */
--
2.34.1
On Fri, Feb 06, 2026 at 05:05:26AM +0000, jaeyuel.im@lge.com wrote:
> From: "jaeyuel.im" <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
>
> The current implementation of dm_init_init() uses early_lookup_bdev() to
> wait for the device node to appear. However, early_lookup_bdev() only
> verifies that the device node exists and returns the dev_t. It does not
> guarantee that the underlying block device structure is fully initialized
> and ready for I/O operations or to be opened.
>
> On certain platforms (e.g., embedded systems with specific storage
> drivers), this can lead to a race condition where dm_early_create()
> attempts to open the device immediately after early_lookup_bdev() returns,
> but fails because the device is not yet fully ready. This results in boot
> failures as the mapped device cannot be created.
>
> This patch adds an additional check using blkdev_get_no_open() after
> early_lookup_bdev() returns. This ensures that the struct block_device is
> actually available and the device is ready to be opened, effectively
> preventing the race condition.
>
> Changes in v2:
> - Pass autoload parameter for new blkdev_get_no_open()
>
> Changes in v3:
> - Exported to a public header for both blkdev_get_no_open() and
> blkdev_put_no_open()
>
> Link: https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/dm-devel/patch/20251212000955.171808-1-jaeyuel.im@lge.com/
> Signed-off-by: jaeyuel.im <jaeyuel.im@lge.com>
> ---
You should put the description of your version changes here, after the
triple dash, so that they aren't part of the actual commit message.
> drivers/md/dm-init.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
> include/linux/blkdev.h | 3 +++
> 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+)
>
> [snip]
> diff --git a/include/linux/blkdev.h b/include/linux/blkdev.h
> index 72e34acd439c..7f4a05b536ca 100644
> --- a/include/linux/blkdev.h
> +++ b/include/linux/blkdev.h
> @@ -1873,4 +1873,7 @@ static inline int bio_split_rw_at(struct bio *bio,
>
> #define DEFINE_IO_COMP_BATCH(name) struct io_comp_batch name = { }
If you're adding declarations linux/blkdev.h, you should remove them
from block/blk.h, so the functions aren't declared twice.
Also, IMHO it seems more natural for these declarions to placed near the
related bdev_file_open_by_dev() and bdev_file_open_by_path() ones
earlier in this file.
Finally I Added Jens and linux-block to the CCs, since the patch
includes changes to the block files. FYI, scripts/get_maintainer.pl can
help you send your patches the right people and lists.
-Ben
> +struct block_device *blkdev_get_no_open(dev_t dev, bool autoload);
> +void blkdev_put_no_open(struct block_device *bdev);
> +
> #endif /* _LINUX_BLKDEV_H */
> --
> 2.34.1
>
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