syzbot


possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked

Status: upstream: reported on 2026/01/20 15:21
Reported-by: syzbot+6edd366fa6c02b001539@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
First crash: 140d, last: 20d
Similar bugs (5)
Kernel Title Rank 🛈 Repro Cause bisect Fix bisect Count Last Reported Patched Status
upstream possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked ext4 4 3 733d 752d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2024/09/14 08:21
linux-6.6 possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked 4 20 13d 137d 0/2 upstream: reported on 2026/01/23 09:44
upstream possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked (3) ext4 prio:high 4 C error 408 1h30m 161d 0/29 upstream: reported C repro on 2025/12/30 11:48
upstream possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked (2) ext4 4 1 517d 513d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2025/04/18 23:41
linux-6.1 possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked 4 C 144 1d03h 148d 0/3 upstream: reported C repro on 2026/01/12 10:36

Sample crash report:
======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
syzkaller #0 Not tainted
------------------------------------------------------
kworker/u4:0/9 is trying to acquire lock:
ffff88802c65e990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: wait_transaction_locked+0x19f/0x270 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:178

but task is already holding lock:
ffff88802c65cc58 (&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_writepages+0x20f/0x2df0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2691

which lock already depends on the new lock.


the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:

-> #2 (&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem){.+.+}-{0:0}:
       percpu_down_read+0x46/0x1b0 include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:51
       ext4_writepages+0x20f/0x2df0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2691
       do_writepages+0x476/0x6e0 mm/page-writeback.c:2386
       __writeback_single_inode+0x153/0xda0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1657
       writeback_single_inode+0x3cb/0x8e0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1770
       write_inode_now+0x23b/0x2c0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2817
       iput_final fs/inode.c:1756 [inline]
       iput+0x5ab/0x8a0 fs/inode.c:1795
       ext4_xattr_set_entry+0x34f4/0x3ea0 fs/ext4/xattr.c:1825
       ext4_xattr_block_set+0x4fd/0x2d20 fs/ext4/xattr.c:1924
       ext4_xattr_move_to_block fs/ext4/xattr.c:2618 [inline]
       ext4_xattr_make_inode_space fs/ext4/xattr.c:2693 [inline]
       ext4_expand_extra_isize_ea+0xf3f/0x19b0 fs/ext4/xattr.c:2781
       __ext4_expand_extra_isize+0x301/0x3e0 fs/ext4/inode.c:5924
       ext4_try_to_expand_extra_isize fs/ext4/inode.c:5967 [inline]
       __ext4_mark_inode_dirty+0x469/0x700 fs/ext4/inode.c:6045
       ext4_evict_inode+0xa8d/0x1090 fs/ext4/inode.c:284
       evict+0x4c9/0x8d0 fs/inode.c:647
       ext4_orphan_cleanup+0xad2/0x1320 fs/ext4/orphan.c:472
       ext4_fill_super+0x8d6e/0x94f0 fs/ext4/super.c:5006
       mount_bdev+0x287/0x3c0 fs/super.c:1400
       legacy_get_tree+0xe6/0x180 fs/fs_context.c:611
       vfs_get_tree+0x88/0x270 fs/super.c:1530
       do_new_mount+0x24a/0xa40 fs/namespace.c:3034
       do_mount fs/namespace.c:3377 [inline]
       __do_sys_mount fs/namespace.c:3585 [inline]
       __se_sys_mount+0x2e3/0x3d0 fs/namespace.c:3562
       do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline]
       do_syscall_64+0x4c/0xa0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80
       entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x66/0xd0

-> #1 (&ei->xattr_sem){++++}-{3:3}:
       down_read+0x44/0x2e0 kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1498
       ext4_setattr+0x728/0x1b60 fs/ext4/inode.c:5476
       notify_change+0xbcd/0xee0 fs/attr.c:505
       chown_common+0x4a7/0x660 fs/open.c:680
       do_fchownat+0x147/0x240 fs/open.c:711
       __do_sys_chown fs/open.c:731 [inline]
       __se_sys_chown fs/open.c:729 [inline]
       __x64_sys_chown+0x7e/0x90 fs/open.c:729
       do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline]
       do_syscall_64+0x4c/0xa0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80
       entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x66/0xd0

-> #0 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}:
       check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3053 [inline]
       check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3172 [inline]
       validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3788 [inline]
       __lock_acquire+0x2c42/0x7d10 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5012
       lock_acquire+0x19e/0x400 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5623
       wait_transaction_locked+0x1bb/0x270 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:178
       add_transaction_credits+0x103/0xc80 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:242
       start_this_handle+0x74d/0x15c0 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:423
       jbd2__journal_start+0x2b7/0x5a0 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:521
       __ext4_journal_start_sb+0x167/0x360 fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c:105
       __ext4_journal_start fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.h:326 [inline]
       ext4_writepages+0xe53/0x2df0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2814
       do_writepages+0x476/0x6e0 mm/page-writeback.c:2386
       __writeback_single_inode+0x153/0xda0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1657
       writeback_sb_inodes+0xa4e/0x1680 fs/fs-writeback.c:1940
       __writeback_inodes_wb+0x12a/0x3f0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2011
       wb_writeback+0x46f/0xbe0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2116
       wb_check_old_data_flush fs/fs-writeback.c:2216 [inline]
       wb_do_writeback fs/fs-writeback.c:2269 [inline]
       wb_workfn+0xb15/0xf20 fs/fs-writeback.c:2298
       process_one_work+0x85f/0x1010 kernel/workqueue.c:2310
       worker_thread+0xaa6/0x1290 kernel/workqueue.c:2457
       kthread+0x436/0x520 kernel/kthread.c:334
       ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:287

other info that might help us debug this:

Chain exists of:
  jbd2_handle --> &ei->xattr_sem --> &sbi->s_writepages_rwsem

 Possible unsafe locking scenario:

       CPU0                    CPU1
       ----                    ----
  lock(&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem);
                               lock(&ei->xattr_sem);
                               lock(&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem);
  lock(jbd2_handle);

 *** DEADLOCK ***

4 locks held by kworker/u4:0/9:
 #0: ffff8881423c0138 ((wq_completion)writeback){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x761/0x1010 kernel/workqueue.c:-1
 #1: ffffc90000ce7d00 ((work_completion)(&(&wb->dwork)->work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x79f/0x1010 kernel/workqueue.c:2285
 #2: ffff88802c65a0e0 (&type->s_umount_key#32){++++}-{3:3}, at: trylock_super+0x1c/0xf0 fs/super.c:418
 #3: ffff88802c65cc58 (&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_writepages+0x20f/0x2df0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2691

stack backtrace:
CPU: 1 PID: 9 Comm: kworker/u4:0 Not tainted syzkaller #0
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 04/18/2026
Workqueue: writeback wb_workfn (flush-8:0)
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 dump_stack_lvl+0x188/0x250 lib/dump_stack.c:106
 check_noncircular+0x296/0x330 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:2133
 check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3053 [inline]
 check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3172 [inline]
 validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3788 [inline]
 __lock_acquire+0x2c42/0x7d10 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5012
 lock_acquire+0x19e/0x400 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5623
 wait_transaction_locked+0x1bb/0x270 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:178
 add_transaction_credits+0x103/0xc80 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:242
 start_this_handle+0x74d/0x15c0 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:423
 jbd2__journal_start+0x2b7/0x5a0 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:521
 __ext4_journal_start_sb+0x167/0x360 fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c:105
 __ext4_journal_start fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.h:326 [inline]
 ext4_writepages+0xe53/0x2df0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2814
 do_writepages+0x476/0x6e0 mm/page-writeback.c:2386
 __writeback_single_inode+0x153/0xda0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1657
 writeback_sb_inodes+0xa4e/0x1680 fs/fs-writeback.c:1940
 __writeback_inodes_wb+0x12a/0x3f0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2011
 wb_writeback+0x46f/0xbe0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2116
 wb_check_old_data_flush fs/fs-writeback.c:2216 [inline]
 wb_do_writeback fs/fs-writeback.c:2269 [inline]
 wb_workfn+0xb15/0xf20 fs/fs-writeback.c:2298
 process_one_work+0x85f/0x1010 kernel/workqueue.c:2310
 worker_thread+0xaa6/0x1290 kernel/workqueue.c:2457
 kthread+0x436/0x520 kernel/kthread.c:334
 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:287
 </TASK>

Crashes (98):
Time Kernel Commit Syzkaller Config Log Report Syz repro C repro VM info Assets (help?) Manager Title
2026/05/20 23:27 linux-5.15.y 93741761e5e3 41b8c833 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/05/20 11:37 linux-5.15.y 93741761e5e3 62fb93a2 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/05/10 01:33 linux-5.15.y de8dfb3f0278 29233ece .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/05/09 19:35 linux-5.15.y de8dfb3f0278 29233ece .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/05/02 12:10 linux-5.15.y ef251c45f1cd a0d91488 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/30 14:26 linux-5.15.y ef251c45f1cd a7464baf .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/28 01:00 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 ce741359 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/26 07:00 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 9c2d0995 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/25 05:24 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 9c2d0995 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/23 15:06 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 4c3406dc .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/23 04:42 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 b10da5ec .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/21 20:13 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 0b6ab7ec .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/21 18:01 linux-5.15.y b9d57c40a767 0b6ab7ec .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/15 13:32 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b c441f497 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/14 04:05 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 1a086e7c .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/14 02:25 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 1a086e7c .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/13 19:24 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 9530ccf9 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/13 13:51 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 9530ccf9 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/13 10:19 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 9530ccf9 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/08 20:54 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b d9b7f621 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/07 14:59 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 628666c6 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/07 12:17 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 628666c6 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/07 08:49 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 4440e7c2 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/05 06:41 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 4440e7c2 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/03 02:20 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 4440e7c2 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/02 12:37 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 91bc79b0 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/02 10:16 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 91bc79b0 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/02 02:59 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 0cb124d5 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/02 00:22 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 0cb124d5 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/04/01 00:47 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b fb8b2c26 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/27 06:11 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 766b6434 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/25 23:08 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b c6143aac .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/25 04:15 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 74e70d19 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/24 22:27 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 74e70d19 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/24 15:38 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 74e70d19 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/24 00:25 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b baf8bf12 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/23 14:27 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 4933dba2 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/17 20:41 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b c8810548 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/11 20:39 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 2d88ab01 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/11 17:26 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 2d88ab01 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/10 16:34 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 4683d576 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/08 21:27 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 5cb44a80 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/08 02:24 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 5cb44a80 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/07 12:40 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 5cb44a80 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/03/07 10:15 linux-5.15.y 91d48252ad4b 5cb44a80 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
2026/01/20 15:20 linux-5.15.y 9eec9a14ee10 06648d9c .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-5-15-kasan possible deadlock in wait_transaction_locked
* Struck through repros no longer work on HEAD.