Add a sample module under samples/workqueue/stall_detector/ that
reproduces a workqueue stall caused by PF_WQ_WORKER misuse.  The
module queues two work items on the same per-CPU pool, then clears
PF_WQ_WORKER and sleeps in wait_event_idle(), hiding from the
concurrency manager and stalling the second work item indefinitely.

This is useful for testing the workqueue watchdog stall diagnostics.

Signed-off-by: Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>
---
 samples/workqueue/stall_detector/Makefile   |  1 +
 samples/workqueue/stall_detector/wq_stall.c | 98 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 99 insertions(+)

diff --git a/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/Makefile b/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8849e85e95bb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+obj-m += wq_stall.o
diff --git a/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/wq_stall.c b/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/wq_stall.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6f4a497b18814
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/workqueue/stall_detector/wq_stall.c
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/*
+ * wq_stall - Test module for the workqueue stall detector.
+ *
+ * Deliberately creates a workqueue stall so the watchdog fires and
+ * prints diagnostic output.  Useful for verifying that the stall
+ * detector correctly identifies stuck workers and produces useful
+ * backtraces.
+ *
+ * The stall is triggered by clearing PF_WQ_WORKER before sleeping,
+ * which hides the worker from the concurrency manager.  A second
+ * work item queued on the same pool then sits in the worklist with
+ * no worker available to process it.
+ *
+ * After ~30s the workqueue watchdog fires:
+ *   BUG: workqueue lockup - pool cpus=N ...
+ *
+ * Build:
+ *	make -C <kernel tree> M=samples/workqueue/stall_detector modules
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>
+ */
+
+#include <linux/module.h>
+#include <linux/workqueue.h>
+#include <linux/wait.h>
+#include <linux/atomic.h>
+#include <linux/sched.h>
+
+static DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD(stall_wq_head);
+static atomic_t wake_condition = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
+static struct work_struct stall_work1;
+static struct work_struct stall_work2;
+
+static void stall_work2_fn(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	pr_info("wq_stall: second work item finally ran\n");
+}
+
+static void stall_work1_fn(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	pr_info("wq_stall: first work item running on cpu %d\n",
+		raw_smp_processor_id());
+
+	/*
+	 * Queue second item while we're still counted as running
+	 * (pool->nr_running > 0).  Since schedule_work() on a per-CPU
+	 * workqueue targets raw_smp_processor_id(), item 2 lands on the
+	 * same pool.  __queue_work -> kick_pool -> need_more_worker()
+	 * sees nr_running > 0 and does NOT wake a new worker.
+	 */
+	schedule_work(&stall_work2);
+
+	/*
+	 * Hide from the workqueue concurrency manager.  Without
+	 * PF_WQ_WORKER, schedule() won't call wq_worker_sleeping(),
+	 * so nr_running is never decremented and no replacement
+	 * worker is created.  Item 2 stays stuck in pool->worklist.
+	 */
+	current->flags &= ~PF_WQ_WORKER;
+
+	pr_info("wq_stall: entering wait_event_idle (PF_WQ_WORKER cleared)\n");
+	pr_info("wq_stall: expect 'BUG: workqueue lockup' in ~30-60s\n");
+	wait_event_idle(stall_wq_head, atomic_read(&wake_condition) != 0);
+
+	/* Restore so process_one_work() cleanup works correctly */
+	current->flags |= PF_WQ_WORKER;
+	pr_info("wq_stall: woke up, PF_WQ_WORKER restored\n");
+}
+
+static int __init wq_stall_init(void)
+{
+	pr_info("wq_stall: loading\n");
+
+	INIT_WORK(&stall_work1, stall_work1_fn);
+	INIT_WORK(&stall_work2, stall_work2_fn);
+	schedule_work(&stall_work1);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void __exit wq_stall_exit(void)
+{
+	pr_info("wq_stall: unloading\n");
+	atomic_set(&wake_condition, 1);
+	wake_up(&stall_wq_head);
+	flush_work(&stall_work1);
+	flush_work(&stall_work2);
+	pr_info("wq_stall: all work flushed, module unloaded\n");
+}
+
+module_init(wq_stall_init);
+module_exit(wq_stall_exit);
+
+MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
+MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Reproduce workqueue stall caused by PF_WQ_WORKER misuse");
+MODULE_AUTHOR("Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>");

-- 
2.47.3

On Thu, Mar 5, 2026 at 8:16 AM Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org> wrote:
>
> Add a sample module under samples/workqueue/stall_detector/ that
> reproduces a workqueue stall caused by PF_WQ_WORKER misuse.  The
> module queues two work items on the same per-CPU pool, then clears
> PF_WQ_WORKER and sleeps in wait_event_idle(), hiding from the
> concurrency manager and stalling the second work item indefinitely.

Clearing PF_WQ_WORKER is an interesting way to trigger the stall.

>
> This is useful for testing the workqueue watchdog stall diagnostics.
>
> Signed-off-by: Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>

Acked-by: Song Liu <song@kernel.org>

> ---
>  samples/workqueue/stall_detector/Makefile   |  1 +
>  samples/workqueue/stall_detector/wq_stall.c | 98 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  2 files changed, 99 insertions(+)