syzbot


possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (8)

Status: closed as dup on 2026/06/09 14:03
Subsystems: ext4
[Documentation on labels]
Reported-by: syzbot+1e5626d6fd59853cbfaa@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
First crash: 25d, last: 4d17h
✨ AI Jobs (1)
ID Workflow Result Correct Bug Created Started Finished Revision Error
5de1ead2-b73e-4f06-99fe-11ed865ad820 assessment-security 💥 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (8) 2026/06/09 11:46 2026/06/09 11:46 2026/06/09 11:46 656e94c64cf6d2cf6e13f9bbe93a03e73688e3ba
failed to run ["git" "-c" "core.hooksPath=/dev/null" "fetch" "--force" "--tags" "433dfd5a8a5d80bbf0669b14e9ed908911a52dd6" "ec7ef10b77a69d482f7c78c8236389e64a08eb98"]: exit status 128
fatal: remote er...
truncated to first 200 bytes; open job for full error
Duplicate of
Title Rank 🛈 Repro Cause bisect Fix bisect Count Last Reported
possible deadlock in lock_two_nondirectories (2) overlayfs ext4 prio:high 4 C error 17 3d16h 25d
Discussions (1)
Title Replies (including bot) Last reply
[syzbot] [overlayfs?] possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (8) 1 (2) 2026/06/09 14:03
Similar bugs (12)
Kernel Title Rank 🛈 Repro Cause bisect Fix bisect Count Last Reported Patched Status
linux-5.15 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write missing-backport 4 C done 117 945d 1197d 0/3 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2024/10/15 12:27
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (6) kernfs 4 1 385d 381d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2025/08/08 23:21
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write fs 4 C done done 662 2091d 2898d 15/29 fixed on 2020/11/16 12:12
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (5) kernfs 4 1 535d 531d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2025/04/20 18:48
linux-6.1 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write origin:upstream missing-backport 4 C done 56 946d 1190d 0/3 upstream: reported C repro on 2023/03/28 13:05
linux-4.19 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write romfs 4 C 730 1211d 2628d 0/1 upstream: reported C repro on 2019/04/19 16:54
android-49 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write 4 1 2881d 2881d 0/3 auto-closed as invalid on 2019/02/22 14:57
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (4) kernfs 4 1 661d 657d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2024/12/16 14:12
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (2) integrity overlayfs 4 C done 867 972d 1840d 25/29 fixed on 2023/12/21 01:43
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (3) kernfs 4 9 808d 911d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2024/07/22 10:45
upstream possible deadlock in mnt_want_write (7) fs 4 3 180d 183d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2026/04/11 06:22
linux-4.14 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write ubifs 4 C 10467 1211d 2623d 0/1 upstream: reported C repro on 2019/04/25 05:09

Sample crash report:
loop0: detected capacity change from 0 to 512
EXT4-fs (loop0): mounted filesystem 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 r/w without journal. Quota mode: writeback.
======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
syzkaller #0 Not tainted
------------------------------------------------------
syz.0.17/4911 is trying to acquire lock:
ffff0000d8394410 (sb_writers#3){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: mnt_want_write+0x44/0x9c fs/namespace.c:493

but task is already holding lock:
ffff0000f059a028 (&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ovl_inode_lock_interruptible fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h:705 [inline]
ffff0000f059a028 (&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ovl_nlink_start+0xc8/0x350 fs/overlayfs/util.c:1173

which lock already depends on the new lock.


the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:

-> #3 (&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}:
       __mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:646 [inline]
       __mutex_lock+0x164/0xed0 kernel/locking/mutex.c:820
       mutex_lock_interruptible_nested+0x24/0x30 kernel/locking/mutex.c:898
       ovl_inode_lock_interruptible fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h:705 [inline]
       ovl_nlink_start+0xc8/0x350 fs/overlayfs/util.c:1173
       ovl_rename_start fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1189 [inline]
       ovl_rename+0x3b0/0xf80 fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1363
       vfs_rename+0xa78/0xd48 fs/namei.c:6064
       filename_renameat2+0x660/0x72c fs/namei.c:6182
       __do_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6211 [inline]
       __se_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6206 [inline]
       __arm64_sys_renameat2+0xec/0x11c fs/namei.c:6206
       __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]
       invoke_syscall+0x98/0x244 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49
       el0_svc_common+0xec/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:121
       do_el0_svc+0x4c/0x5c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:140
       el0_svc+0x64/0x260 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:736
       el0t_64_sync_handler+0x48/0x148 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:755
       el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:594

-> #2 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]/4){+.+.}-{4:4}:
       down_write_nested+0x58/0xcc kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1751
       inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:1074 [inline]
       lock_two_nondirectories+0xe8/0x148 fs/inode.c:1256
       vfs_rename+0x600/0xd48 fs/namei.c:6027
       filename_renameat2+0x660/0x72c fs/namei.c:6182
       __do_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6211 [inline]
       __se_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6206 [inline]
       __arm64_sys_renameat2+0xec/0x11c fs/namei.c:6206
       __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]
       invoke_syscall+0x98/0x244 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49
       el0_svc_common+0xec/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:121
       do_el0_svc+0x4c/0x5c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:140
       el0_svc+0x64/0x260 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:736
       el0t_64_sync_handler+0x48/0x148 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:755
       el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:594

-> #1 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}:
       down_write+0x50/0xc0 kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1625
       inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:1029 [inline]
       lock_two_nondirectories+0xc4/0x148 fs/inode.c:1254
       ext4_move_extents+0x194/0x3324 fs/ext4/move_extent.c:589
       __ext4_ioctl fs/ext4/ioctl.c:1657 [inline]
       ext4_ioctl+0x2a10/0x4280 fs/ext4/ioctl.c:1922
       vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline]
       __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:597 [inline]
       __se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:583 [inline]
       __arm64_sys_ioctl+0x14c/0x1c4 fs/ioctl.c:583
       __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]
       invoke_syscall+0x98/0x244 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49
       el0_svc_common+0xec/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:121
       do_el0_svc+0x4c/0x5c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:140
       el0_svc+0x64/0x260 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:736
       el0t_64_sync_handler+0x48/0x148 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:755
       el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:594

-> #0 (sb_writers#3){.+.+}-{0:0}:
       check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3165 [inline]
       check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3284 [inline]
       validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3908 [inline]
       __lock_acquire+0x17c0/0x2ebc kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5237
       lock_acquire+0x140/0x364 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5868
       percpu_down_read_internal include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:53 [inline]
       percpu_down_read_freezable include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:83 [inline]
       __sb_start_write include/linux/fs/super.h:19 [inline]
       sb_start_write+0x5c/0x294 include/linux/fs/super.h:125
       mnt_want_write+0x44/0x9c fs/namespace.c:493
       ovl_want_write fs/overlayfs/util.c:38 [inline]
       ovl_nlink_start+0x154/0x350 fs/overlayfs/util.c:1177
       ovl_rename_start fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1189 [inline]
       ovl_rename+0x3b0/0xf80 fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1363
       vfs_rename+0xa78/0xd48 fs/namei.c:6064
       filename_renameat2+0x660/0x72c fs/namei.c:6182
       __do_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6211 [inline]
       __se_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6206 [inline]
       __arm64_sys_renameat2+0xec/0x11c fs/namei.c:6206
       __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]
       invoke_syscall+0x98/0x244 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49
       el0_svc_common+0xec/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:121
       do_el0_svc+0x4c/0x5c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:140
       el0_svc+0x64/0x260 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:736
       el0t_64_sync_handler+0x48/0x148 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:755
       el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:594

other info that might help us debug this:

Chain exists of:
  sb_writers#3 --> &ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]/4 --> &ovl_i_lock_key[depth]

 Possible unsafe locking scenario:

       CPU0                    CPU1
       ----                    ----
  lock(&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]);
                               lock(&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]/4);
                               lock(&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]);
  rlock(sb_writers#3);

 *** DEADLOCK ***

5 locks held by syz.0.17/4911:
 #0: ffff0000ce09c410 (sb_writers#11){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: mnt_want_write+0x44/0x9c fs/namespace.c:493
 #1: ffff0000f059a7a8 (&ovl_i_mutex_dir_key[depth]/1){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:1074 [inline]
 #1: ffff0000f059a7a8 (&ovl_i_mutex_dir_key[depth]/1){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lock_rename fs/namei.c:3787 [inline]
 #1: ffff0000f059a7a8 (&ovl_i_mutex_dir_key[depth]/1){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: __start_renaming+0x144/0x344 fs/namei.c:3880
 #2: ffff0000f0599cb8 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:1029 [inline]
 #2: ffff0000f0599cb8 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lock_two_nondirectories+0xc4/0x148 fs/inode.c:1254
 #3: ffff0000f059a230 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]/4){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:1074 [inline]
 #3: ffff0000f059a230 (&ovl_i_mutex_key[depth]/4){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lock_two_nondirectories+0xe8/0x148 fs/inode.c:1256
 #4: ffff0000f059a028 (&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ovl_inode_lock_interruptible fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h:705 [inline]
 #4: ffff0000f059a028 (&ovl_i_lock_key[depth]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ovl_nlink_start+0xc8/0x350 fs/overlayfs/util.c:1173

stack backtrace:
CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 4911 Comm: syz.0.17 Not tainted syzkaller #0 PREEMPT 
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 06/02/2026
Call trace:
 show_stack+0x2c/0x3c arch/arm64/kernel/stacktrace.c:499 (C)
 __dump_stack+0x30/0x40 lib/dump_stack.c:94
 dump_stack_lvl+0xd8/0x12c lib/dump_stack.c:120
 dump_stack+0x1c/0x28 lib/dump_stack.c:129
 print_circular_bug+0x328/0x330 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:2043
 check_noncircular+0x158/0x174 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:2175
 check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3165 [inline]
 check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3284 [inline]
 validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3908 [inline]
 __lock_acquire+0x17c0/0x2ebc kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5237
 lock_acquire+0x140/0x364 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5868
 percpu_down_read_internal include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:53 [inline]
 percpu_down_read_freezable include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:83 [inline]
 __sb_start_write include/linux/fs/super.h:19 [inline]
 sb_start_write+0x5c/0x294 include/linux/fs/super.h:125
 mnt_want_write+0x44/0x9c fs/namespace.c:493
 ovl_want_write fs/overlayfs/util.c:38 [inline]
 ovl_nlink_start+0x154/0x350 fs/overlayfs/util.c:1177
 ovl_rename_start fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1189 [inline]
 ovl_rename+0x3b0/0xf80 fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1363
 vfs_rename+0xa78/0xd48 fs/namei.c:6064
 filename_renameat2+0x660/0x72c fs/namei.c:6182
 __do_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6211 [inline]
 __se_sys_renameat2 fs/namei.c:6206 [inline]
 __arm64_sys_renameat2+0xec/0x11c fs/namei.c:6206
 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]
 invoke_syscall+0x98/0x244 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49
 el0_svc_common+0xec/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:121
 do_el0_svc+0x4c/0x5c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:140
 el0_svc+0x64/0x260 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:736
 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x48/0x148 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:755
 el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:594

Crashes (3):
Time Kernel Commit Syzkaller Config Log Report Syz repro C repro VM info Assets (help?) Manager Title
2026/06/25 21:58 git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/arm64/linux.git for-kernelci 92e3f6ef4ffb 432fd51a .config console log report syz / log C [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] [mounted in repro (clean fs)] ci-upstream-gce-arm64 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write
2026/06/19 09:14 git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/arm64/linux.git for-kernelci c2a9495bd873 d7ffd47b .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci-upstream-gce-arm64 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write
2026/06/04 23:06 git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/arm64/linux.git for-kernelci ec7ef10b77a6 197909be .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci-upstream-gce-arm64 possible deadlock in mnt_want_write
* Struck through repros no longer work on HEAD.