[PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[Usama Arif]

The details for this are in patch 2. The main reason for this series
is to invalidate the cached timestamp on context switch. This was
done in sched_update_worker() only before which was resulting in
blk-iocost reading stale timestamps and throttling based on wrong
information.

Patch 1 is a prerequisite to create the invariant that
PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL.

v2 -> v3:
  https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260612094042.3350401-1-usama.arif@linux.dev/
  - Add patch 1 to clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process() so the
    invariant survives fork.
  - Drop the if (plug) NULL check inside blk_plug_invalidate_ts(),
    relying on the invariant established by patch 1. (Peter Zijlstra)

v1 -> v2:
  https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260611231428.345098-1-usama.arif@linux.dev/
  - Move the PF_BLOCK_TS check into blk_plug_invalidate_ts() and
    upgrade it to __always_inline (Peter Zijlstra).
  - Drop the tsk parameter; the helper only ever operates on current.
 
Usama Arif (2):
  kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()
  block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch

 include/linux/blkdev.h | 16 ++++++----------
 kernel/fork.c          |  1 +
 kernel/sched/core.c    | 12 ++++++++----
 3 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

-- 
2.53.0-Meta

[PATCH 1/2] kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()

[Usama Arif]

PF_BLOCK_TS is only set in blk_time_get_ns() when current->plug is
non-NULL, and blk_finish_plug() clears it via __blk_flush_plug()
before NULLing the plug pointer.  copy_process() breaks the
invariant by inheriting PF_BLOCK_TS from the parent while resetting
the child's plug to NULL.

Clear PF_BLOCK_TS alongside that assignment so callers can rely on
"PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL" and dereference
current->plug unguarded.

Fixes: 06b23f92af87 ("block: update cached timestamp post schedule/preemption")
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Usama Arif <usama.arif@linux.dev>
---
 kernel/fork.c | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
index 892a95214c54..13e38e89a1f3 100644
--- a/kernel/fork.c
+++ b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -2338,6 +2338,7 @@ __latent_entropy struct task_struct *copy_process(
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BLOCK
 	p->plug = NULL;
+	p->flags &= ~PF_BLOCK_TS;
 #endif
 	futex_init_task(p);
 
-- 
2.53.0-Meta

[PATCH 2/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch

[Usama Arif]

blk_time_get_ns() caches ktime_get_ns() in current->plug->cur_ktime
and marks the task with PF_BLOCK_TS. That cache is only valid while the
task keeps running; if the task is switched out, wall-clock time
advances and the cached value must not be reused when the task runs again.

The existing invalidation covers explicit plug flushes through
__blk_flush_plug(), and the schedule() / rtmutex paths through
sched_update_worker(). It does not cover in-kernel preemption paths such
as preempt_schedule(), preempt_schedule_notrace(), and
preempt_schedule_irq(), which enter __schedule(SM_PREEMPT) directly and
return without calling sched_update_worker().

As a result, a task preempted while holding a plug with PF_BLOCK_TS set
can reuse a stale plug->cur_ktime after it is scheduled back in. blk-iocost
then consumes that stale timestamp through ioc_now(), producing stale vnow
values for throttle decisions, and through ioc_rqos_done(), inflating
on-queue time and feeding false missed-QoS samples into vrate
adjustment.

Move the schedule-side invalidation to finish_task_switch(), which runs
for the scheduled-in task after every actual context switch regardless
of which schedule entry point was used. Keep __blk_flush_plug() as the
explicit flush/finish-plug invalidation path, and remove only the
PF_BLOCK_TS handling from sched_update_worker().

Fixes: 06b23f92af87 ("block: update cached timestamp post schedule/preemption")
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Usama Arif <usama.arif@linux.dev>
---
 include/linux/blkdev.h | 16 ++++++----------
 kernel/sched/core.c    | 12 ++++++++----
 2 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/blkdev.h b/include/linux/blkdev.h
index 57e84d59a642..c285a4d9837d 100644
--- a/include/linux/blkdev.h
+++ b/include/linux/blkdev.h
@@ -1216,16 +1216,12 @@ static inline void blk_flush_plug(struct blk_plug *plug, bool async)
 		__blk_flush_plug(plug, async);
 }
 
-/*
- * tsk == current here
- */
-static inline void blk_plug_invalidate_ts(struct task_struct *tsk)
+static __always_inline void blk_plug_invalidate_ts(void)
 {
-	struct blk_plug *plug = tsk->plug;
-
-	if (plug)
-		plug->cur_ktime = 0;
-	current->flags &= ~PF_BLOCK_TS;
+	if (unlikely(current->flags & PF_BLOCK_TS)) {
+		current->plug->cur_ktime = 0;
+		current->flags &= ~PF_BLOCK_TS;
+	}
 }
 
 int blkdev_issue_flush(struct block_device *bdev);
@@ -1251,7 +1247,7 @@ static inline void blk_flush_plug(struct blk_plug *plug, bool async)
 {
 }
 
-static inline void blk_plug_invalidate_ts(struct task_struct *tsk)
+static inline void blk_plug_invalidate_ts(void)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 8b791e9e9f67..e97e98c33be5 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -5368,6 +5368,12 @@ static struct rq *finish_task_switch(struct task_struct *prev)
 	 */
 	kmap_local_sched_in();
 
+	/*
+	 * Any cached block-layer timestamp (plug->cur_ktime) is stale now,
+	 * invalidate it.
+	 */
+	blk_plug_invalidate_ts();
+
 	fire_sched_in_preempt_notifiers(current);
 	/*
 	 * When switching through a kernel thread, the loop in
@@ -7290,12 +7296,10 @@ static inline void sched_submit_work(struct task_struct *tsk)
 
 static void sched_update_worker(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
-	if (tsk->flags & (PF_WQ_WORKER | PF_IO_WORKER | PF_BLOCK_TS)) {
-		if (tsk->flags & PF_BLOCK_TS)
-			blk_plug_invalidate_ts(tsk);
+	if (tsk->flags & (PF_WQ_WORKER | PF_IO_WORKER)) {
 		if (tsk->flags & PF_WQ_WORKER)
 			wq_worker_running(tsk);
-		else if (tsk->flags & PF_IO_WORKER)
+		else
 			io_wq_worker_running(tsk);
 	}
 }
-- 
2.53.0-Meta

Re: [PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[Jens Axboe]

On Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:15:16 -0700, Usama Arif wrote:
> The details for this are in patch 2. The main reason for this series
> is to invalidate the cached timestamp on context switch. This was
> done in sched_update_worker() only before which was resulting in
> blk-iocost reading stale timestamps and throttling based on wrong
> information.
> 
> Patch 1 is a prerequisite to create the invariant that
> PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL.
> 
> [...]

Applied, thanks!

[1/2] kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()
      commit: fd38b75c4b43295b10d69772a46d1c74dbd6fc81
[2/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch
      commit: fad156c2af227f42ca796cbb20ddc354a6dd9932

Best regards,
-- 
Jens Axboe

Re: [PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[Jens Axboe]

On 6/16/26 10:08 AM, Jens Axboe wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:15:16 -0700, Usama Arif wrote:
>> The details for this are in patch 2. The main reason for this series
>> is to invalidate the cached timestamp on context switch. This was
>> done in sched_update_worker() only before which was resulting in
>> blk-iocost reading stale timestamps and throttling based on wrong
>> information.
>>
>> Patch 1 is a prerequisite to create the invariant that
>> PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL.
>>
>> [...]
> 
> Applied, thanks!
> 
> [1/2] kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()
>       commit: fd38b75c4b43295b10d69772a46d1c74dbd6fc81
> [2/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch
>       commit: fad156c2af227f42ca796cbb20ddc354a6dd9932

Note: I tentatively queued this on up as a) it looks good to me (and
thanks Usama for fixing this!), and b) about to head OOO for a week
or so. If Peter or any of the sched people disagree, let me know and
we can deal with it. If not, then I plan on sending this in with the
usual follow-up merge window fixes next week.

-- 
Jens Axboe

Re: [PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[Peter Zijlstra]

On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 10:10:31AM -0600, Jens Axboe wrote:
> On 6/16/26 10:08 AM, Jens Axboe wrote:
> > 
> > On Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:15:16 -0700, Usama Arif wrote:
> >> The details for this are in patch 2. The main reason for this series
> >> is to invalidate the cached timestamp on context switch. This was
> >> done in sched_update_worker() only before which was resulting in
> >> blk-iocost reading stale timestamps and throttling based on wrong
> >> information.
> >>
> >> Patch 1 is a prerequisite to create the invariant that
> >> PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL.
> >>
> >> [...]
> > 
> > Applied, thanks!
> > 
> > [1/2] kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()
> >       commit: fd38b75c4b43295b10d69772a46d1c74dbd6fc81
> > [2/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch
> >       commit: fad156c2af227f42ca796cbb20ddc354a6dd9932
> 
> Note: I tentatively queued this on up as a) it looks good to me (and
> thanks Usama for fixing this!), and b) about to head OOO for a week
> or so. If Peter or any of the sched people disagree, let me know and
> we can deal with it. If not, then I plan on sending this in with the
> usual follow-up merge window fixes next week.

FWIW, looks good to me.

Re: [PATCH 0/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp on context switch

[Jens Axboe]

On 6/16/26 10:54 AM, Peter Zijlstra wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 10:10:31AM -0600, Jens Axboe wrote:
>> On 6/16/26 10:08 AM, Jens Axboe wrote:
>>>
>>> On Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:15:16 -0700, Usama Arif wrote:
>>>> The details for this are in patch 2. The main reason for this series
>>>> is to invalidate the cached timestamp on context switch. This was
>>>> done in sched_update_worker() only before which was resulting in
>>>> blk-iocost reading stale timestamps and throttling based on wrong
>>>> information.
>>>>
>>>> Patch 1 is a prerequisite to create the invariant that
>>>> PF_BLOCK_TS set implies current->plug != NULL.
>>>>
>>>> [...]
>>>
>>> Applied, thanks!
>>>
>>> [1/2] kernel/fork: clear PF_BLOCK_TS in copy_process()
>>>       commit: fd38b75c4b43295b10d69772a46d1c74dbd6fc81
>>> [2/2] block: invalidate cached plug timestamp after task switch
>>>       commit: fad156c2af227f42ca796cbb20ddc354a6dd9932
>>
>> Note: I tentatively queued this on up as a) it looks good to me (and
>> thanks Usama for fixing this!), and b) about to head OOO for a week
>> or so. If Peter or any of the sched people disagree, let me know and
>> we can deal with it. If not, then I plan on sending this in with the
>> usual follow-up merge window fixes next week.
> 
> FWIW, looks good to me.

Great, thanks Peter!

-- 
Jens Axboe