tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt | 7 ++++++- tools/perf/util/evsel.c | 6 +++--- 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
On s390 the kernel uses s390 back chain instead of frame pointers for
stack tracing of user space since v6.7 commit aa44433ac4ee ("s390: add
USER_STACKTRACE support"). This is because frame pointers on s390
cannot be used for stack tracing. [1]
This requires user space to maintain a s390 back chain. For instance
user space to be built with compiler option '-mbackchain' (instead of
'-fno-omit-frame-pointer' used on other architectures, which should
better not be used on s390 [1]). Only few distributions and users build
user space with '-mbackchain'. Therefore '--call-graph fp' may in
practice not produce the expected results.
Commit ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
changed the default '-g' option to 'dwarf' on s390 and added a warning
for s390 that wrongly claimed that "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel
support". This warning resulted from a misinterpretation of comments
in s390 cpumsf_pmu_event_init().
The restriction in cpumsf_pmu_event_init() applies to callchain sampling
with the s390 CPU Measurement Sampling Facility (CPUMSF) hardware PMU.
CPUMSF events, such as 'cycles', do not support callchain sampling.
This is independent of whether perf uses the 'fp' or 'dwarf' call-graph
mode. The CPUMSF PMU provides samples collected asynchronously, making
it impossible to associate a callchain to the historic IPs. Therefore
callchains can only be used with software events on s390.
Remove the incorrect warning. The kernel supports the 'fp' call-graph
mode on s390 by walking the back chain. Do not replace it with a
hint to use 'dwarf' when the resulting callchain is incomplete. Such a
suggestion could imply that 'fp' is inherently inferior. The same
general limitation exists on other architectures when user space is not
built with frame pointers (i.e. '-fno-omit-frame-pointers').
Instead, warn on s390 when callchain sampling is requested with an event
provided by the CPUMCF or CPUMSF hardware PMUs, because that combination
is not supported.
Update the perf record documentation to state that 'dwarf' is the
default call-graph mode on s390 and that 'fp' uses back chain instead
of frame pointers on s390.
Note that '--call-graph fp' may also be useful for other applications,
such as OpenJDK maintaining a s390 back chain (does not require JVM
option '-XX:+PreserveFramePointer' on s390):
$ perf record --call-graph fp ... -- \
java -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+DumpPerfMapAtExit ...
[1]: s390: Stack tracing using Frame Pointer, Back Chain, and SFrame,
https://conf.gnu-tools-cauldron.org/opo25/talk/Y3CVHY/
Fixes: ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
Signed-off-by: Jens Remus <jremus@linux.ibm.com>
---
Notes (jremus):
Changes in v3:
- Updated warning message.
- Rebased on v7.3-rc4.
tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt | 7 ++++++-
tools/perf/util/evsel.c | 6 +++---
2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
index 178f483140ed..dc72606cb25d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ OPTIONS
--call-graph::
Setup and enable call-graph (stack chain/backtrace) recording,
- implies -g. Default is "fp" (for user space).
+ implies -g. Default is "fp" for user space (s390 uses "dwarf").
The unwinding method used for kernel space is dependent on the
unwinder used by the active kernel configuration, i.e
@@ -329,6 +329,11 @@ OPTIONS
enable deferred user callchain which will collect user-space callchains
when the thread returns to the user space.
+ On s390, the "fp" method uses back chain instead of frame pointers,
+ which requires user space to maintain a back chain (e.g. compiler
+ option -mbackchain). Without a maintained back chain this produces
+ bogus call graphs. In that case use "dwarf" instead.
+
-q::
--quiet::
Don't print any warnings or messages, useful for scripting.
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index d4cb455f4a7d..55297b8dab37 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -1092,9 +1092,9 @@ static void __evsel__config_callchain(struct evsel *evsel, const struct record_o
bool function = evsel__is_function_event(evsel);
struct perf_event_attr *attr = &evsel->core.attr;
- if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && param->record_mode == CALLCHAIN_FP) {
- pr_warning_once(
- "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel support. Use '--call-graph dwarf'\n");
+ if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && evsel->pmu && !perf_pmu__is_software(evsel->pmu)) {
+ pr_warning_once("Cannot use hardware PMU 'cpum_cf' / 'cpum_sf' event with callchain. "
+ "Use a software 'cpu-clock' / 'task-clock' event.\n");
}
evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, CALLCHAIN);
base-commit: 93f51579e7df248780214094418f205253383cc5
--
2.53.0On Tue, Sep 22, 2026 at 7:43 AM Jens Remus <jremus@linux.ibm.com> wrote:
>
> On s390 the kernel uses s390 back chain instead of frame pointers for
> stack tracing of user space since v6.7 commit aa44433ac4ee ("s390: add
> USER_STACKTRACE support"). This is because frame pointers on s390
> cannot be used for stack tracing. [1]
>
> This requires user space to maintain a s390 back chain. For instance
> user space to be built with compiler option '-mbackchain' (instead of
> '-fno-omit-frame-pointer' used on other architectures, which should
> better not be used on s390 [1]). Only few distributions and users build
> user space with '-mbackchain'. Therefore '--call-graph fp' may in
> practice not produce the expected results.
>
> Commit ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
> changed the default '-g' option to 'dwarf' on s390 and added a warning
> for s390 that wrongly claimed that "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel
> support". This warning resulted from a misinterpretation of comments
> in s390 cpumsf_pmu_event_init().
>
> The restriction in cpumsf_pmu_event_init() applies to callchain sampling
> with the s390 CPU Measurement Sampling Facility (CPUMSF) hardware PMU.
> CPUMSF events, such as 'cycles', do not support callchain sampling.
> This is independent of whether perf uses the 'fp' or 'dwarf' call-graph
> mode. The CPUMSF PMU provides samples collected asynchronously, making
> it impossible to associate a callchain to the historic IPs. Therefore
> callchains can only be used with software events on s390.
>
> Remove the incorrect warning. The kernel supports the 'fp' call-graph
> mode on s390 by walking the back chain. Do not replace it with a
> hint to use 'dwarf' when the resulting callchain is incomplete. Such a
> suggestion could imply that 'fp' is inherently inferior. The same
> general limitation exists on other architectures when user space is not
> built with frame pointers (i.e. '-fno-omit-frame-pointers').
>
> Instead, warn on s390 when callchain sampling is requested with an event
> provided by the CPUMCF or CPUMSF hardware PMUs, because that combination
> is not supported.
>
> Update the perf record documentation to state that 'dwarf' is the
> default call-graph mode on s390 and that 'fp' uses back chain instead
> of frame pointers on s390.
>
> Note that '--call-graph fp' may also be useful for other applications,
> such as OpenJDK maintaining a s390 back chain (does not require JVM
> option '-XX:+PreserveFramePointer' on s390):
>
> $ perf record --call-graph fp ... -- \
> java -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+DumpPerfMapAtExit ...
>
> [1]: s390: Stack tracing using Frame Pointer, Back Chain, and SFrame,
> https://conf.gnu-tools-cauldron.org/opo25/talk/Y3CVHY/
>
> Fixes: ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
> Signed-off-by: Jens Remus <jremus@linux.ibm.com>
Acked-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@google.com>
Thanks,
Ian
> ---
>
> Notes (jremus):
> Changes in v3:
> - Updated warning message.
> - Rebased on v7.3-rc4.
>
> tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt | 7 ++++++-
> tools/perf/util/evsel.c | 6 +++---
> 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
> index 178f483140ed..dc72606cb25d 100644
> --- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
> +++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
> @@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ OPTIONS
>
> --call-graph::
> Setup and enable call-graph (stack chain/backtrace) recording,
> - implies -g. Default is "fp" (for user space).
> + implies -g. Default is "fp" for user space (s390 uses "dwarf").
>
> The unwinding method used for kernel space is dependent on the
> unwinder used by the active kernel configuration, i.e
> @@ -329,6 +329,11 @@ OPTIONS
> enable deferred user callchain which will collect user-space callchains
> when the thread returns to the user space.
>
> + On s390, the "fp" method uses back chain instead of frame pointers,
> + which requires user space to maintain a back chain (e.g. compiler
> + option -mbackchain). Without a maintained back chain this produces
> + bogus call graphs. In that case use "dwarf" instead.
> +
> -q::
> --quiet::
> Don't print any warnings or messages, useful for scripting.
> diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
> index d4cb455f4a7d..55297b8dab37 100644
> --- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
> +++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
> @@ -1092,9 +1092,9 @@ static void __evsel__config_callchain(struct evsel *evsel, const struct record_o
> bool function = evsel__is_function_event(evsel);
> struct perf_event_attr *attr = &evsel->core.attr;
>
> - if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && param->record_mode == CALLCHAIN_FP) {
> - pr_warning_once(
> - "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel support. Use '--call-graph dwarf'\n");
> + if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && evsel->pmu && !perf_pmu__is_software(evsel->pmu)) {
> + pr_warning_once("Cannot use hardware PMU 'cpum_cf' / 'cpum_sf' event with callchain. "
> + "Use a software 'cpu-clock' / 'task-clock' event.\n");
> }
>
> evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, CALLCHAIN);
>
> base-commit: 93f51579e7df248780214094418f205253383cc5
> --
> 2.53.0
>
On 9/23/26 18:37, Ian Rogers wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 22, 2026 at 7:43 AM Jens Remus <jremus@linux.ibm.com> wrote:
>>
>> On s390 the kernel uses s390 back chain instead of frame pointers for
>> stack tracing of user space since v6.7 commit aa44433ac4ee ("s390: add
>> USER_STACKTRACE support"). This is because frame pointers on s390
>> cannot be used for stack tracing. [1]
>>
>> This requires user space to maintain a s390 back chain. For instance
>> user space to be built with compiler option '-mbackchain' (instead of
>> '-fno-omit-frame-pointer' used on other architectures, which should
>> better not be used on s390 [1]). Only few distributions and users build
>> user space with '-mbackchain'. Therefore '--call-graph fp' may in
>> practice not produce the expected results.
>>
>> Commit ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
>> changed the default '-g' option to 'dwarf' on s390 and added a warning
>> for s390 that wrongly claimed that "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel
>> support". This warning resulted from a misinterpretation of comments
>> in s390 cpumsf_pmu_event_init().
>>
>> The restriction in cpumsf_pmu_event_init() applies to callchain sampling
>> with the s390 CPU Measurement Sampling Facility (CPUMSF) hardware PMU.
>> CPUMSF events, such as 'cycles', do not support callchain sampling.
>> This is independent of whether perf uses the 'fp' or 'dwarf' call-graph
>> mode. The CPUMSF PMU provides samples collected asynchronously, making
>> it impossible to associate a callchain to the historic IPs. Therefore
>> callchains can only be used with software events on s390.
>>
>> Remove the incorrect warning. The kernel supports the 'fp' call-graph
>> mode on s390 by walking the back chain. Do not replace it with a
>> hint to use 'dwarf' when the resulting callchain is incomplete. Such a
>> suggestion could imply that 'fp' is inherently inferior. The same
>> general limitation exists on other architectures when user space is not
>> built with frame pointers (i.e. '-fno-omit-frame-pointers').
>>
>> Instead, warn on s390 when callchain sampling is requested with an event
>> provided by the CPUMCF or CPUMSF hardware PMUs, because that combination
>> is not supported.
>>
>> Update the perf record documentation to state that 'dwarf' is the
>> default call-graph mode on s390 and that 'fp' uses back chain instead
>> of frame pointers on s390.
>>
>> Note that '--call-graph fp' may also be useful for other applications,
>> such as OpenJDK maintaining a s390 back chain (does not require JVM
>> option '-XX:+PreserveFramePointer' on s390):
>>
>> $ perf record --call-graph fp ... -- \
>> java -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+DumpPerfMapAtExit ...
>>
>> [1]: s390: Stack tracing using Frame Pointer, Back Chain, and SFrame,
>> https://conf.gnu-tools-cauldron.org/opo25/talk/Y3CVHY/
>>
>> Fixes: ca76fb67ebdd ("perf evlist: Improve default event for s390")
>> Signed-off-by: Jens Remus <jremus@linux.ibm.com>
>
> Acked-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@google.com>
>
> Thanks,
> Ian
>
>> ---
>>
>> Notes (jremus):
>> Changes in v3:
>> - Updated warning message.
>> - Rebased on v7.3-rc4.
>>
>> tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt | 7 ++++++-
>> tools/perf/util/evsel.c | 6 +++---
>> 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
>> index 178f483140ed..dc72606cb25d 100644
>> --- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
>> +++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
>> @@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ OPTIONS
>>
>> --call-graph::
>> Setup and enable call-graph (stack chain/backtrace) recording,
>> - implies -g. Default is "fp" (for user space).
>> + implies -g. Default is "fp" for user space (s390 uses "dwarf").
>>
>> The unwinding method used for kernel space is dependent on the
>> unwinder used by the active kernel configuration, i.e
>> @@ -329,6 +329,11 @@ OPTIONS
>> enable deferred user callchain which will collect user-space callchains
>> when the thread returns to the user space.
>>
>> + On s390, the "fp" method uses back chain instead of frame pointers,
>> + which requires user space to maintain a back chain (e.g. compiler
>> + option -mbackchain). Without a maintained back chain this produces
>> + bogus call graphs. In that case use "dwarf" instead.
>> +
>> -q::
>> --quiet::
>> Don't print any warnings or messages, useful for scripting.
>> diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
>> index d4cb455f4a7d..55297b8dab37 100644
>> --- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
>> +++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
>> @@ -1092,9 +1092,9 @@ static void __evsel__config_callchain(struct evsel *evsel, const struct record_o
>> bool function = evsel__is_function_event(evsel);
>> struct perf_event_attr *attr = &evsel->core.attr;
>>
>> - if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && param->record_mode == CALLCHAIN_FP) {
>> - pr_warning_once(
>> - "Framepointer unwinding lacks kernel support. Use '--call-graph dwarf'\n");
>> + if (EM_HOST == EM_S390 && evsel->pmu && !perf_pmu__is_software(evsel->pmu)) {
>> + pr_warning_once("Cannot use hardware PMU 'cpum_cf' / 'cpum_sf' event with callchain. "
>> + "Use a software 'cpu-clock' / 'task-clock' event.\n");
>> }
>>
>> evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, CALLCHAIN);
>>
>> base-commit: 93f51579e7df248780214094418f205253383cc5
>> --
>> 2.53.0
>>
Reviewed-by: Thomas Richter <tmricht@linux.ibm.com>
--
Thomas Richter, Dept 3303, IBM s390 Linux Development, Boeblingen, Germany
--
IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: Wolfgang Wendt
Geschäftsführung: David Faller
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