RTL8852BE (0bda:b853) Bluetooth initialization fails with -16 on ThinkBook 14+ 2026

RTL8852BE (0bda:b853) Bluetooth initialization fails with -16 on ThinkBook 14+ 2026

[Misha]

To: linux-bluetooth@vger.kernel.org
Subject: RTL8852BE (0bda:b853) Bluetooth initialization fails with -16 
on ThinkBook 14+ 2026

I'm experiencing Bluetooth initialization failure on a Lenovo ThinkBook
14+ 2026 (Lenovo 14 G8+ AHP - version 2026, released for the Chinese
market) with Realtek RTL8852BE module (USB ID 0bda:b853). The WiFi part
works correctly via rtw89_8852be driver, but Bluetooth fails to
initialize.

Hardware:

- Laptop: Lenovo ThinkBook 14+ 2026 21VR (Chinese market version)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 H 255
- Bluetooth: Realtek RTL8852BE (USB ID 0bda:b853)
- Kernel: 7.1.0-352.vanilla.fc44.x86_64
- Distribution: Fedora 44 Workstation
- linux-firmware: latest from Fedora 44 repos

Problem description:
The Bluetooth device is detected on USB bus (1-5), firmware (see logs
below) are loaded successfully, but initialization fails  with
"Opcode 0xfcf0 failed: -16".

Key observations:
1. The USB device ID is 0bda:b853, which appears to be a newer revision of
    RTL8852BE not listed in linux-firmware/rtl_bt/ directory
2. Available firmware files: rtl8852au_fw.bin, rtl8852btu_fw.bin, 
rtl8852bu_fw.bin,
    rtl8852cu_fw.bin - but NO firmware for revision "b853"
3. Driver attempts to load rtl8852bu_fw.bin as fallback, but chip rejects
    the vendor command 0xfcf0

Commands output:
    ➤ lsusb
    Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bda:5411 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5411 Hub
    Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bda:b853 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 
Bluetooth Radio


    ➤ lsusb -t
    /:  Bus 001.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/5p, 480M
       |__ Port 002: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 480M
       |__ Port 005: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M
       |__ Port 005: Dev 003, If 1, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M



    ➤ sudo dmesg | grep -i rtw
    [    6.876631] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: loaded firmware 
rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-2.bin
    [    6.876987] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
    [    6.886529] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware version 
0.29.29.15 (6fb3ec41), cmd version 0, type 5
    [    6.886547] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware version 
0.29.29.15 (6fb3ec41), cmd version 0, type 3
    [    7.197141] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element BB 
version: 00 28 00 00
    [    7.197185] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element radio A 
version: 00 32 00 00
    [    7.197215] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element NCTL 
version: 00 0a 00 00
    [    7.197312] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197314] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197315] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197322] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element PWR_TRK 
version: 00 32 00 00
    [    7.197330] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element REGD 
version: 00 49 00 33
    [    7.197414] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: chip info CID: 0, CV: 1, 
AID: 0, ACV: 1, RFE: 1
    [    7.200038] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: rfkill hardware state 
changed to enable
    [    7.212982] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0 wlp5s0: renamed from wlan0


    ➤ sudo dmesg | grep -iE 'bluetooth|firmware|mtk|btusb'
    [    0.272488] ACPI: [Firmware Bug]: BIOS _OSI(Linux) query ignored
    [    1.267765] usb 1-5: Product: Bluetooth Radio
    [    4.109424] amdgpu 0000:c6:00.0: [drm] Loading DMUB firmware via 
PSP: version=0x08005B00
    [    4.109850] amdgpu 0000:c6:00.0: [VCN instance 0] Found VCN 
firmware Version ENC: 1.24 DEC: 9 VEP: 0 Revision: 34
    [    5.075990] SELinux:  Permission firmware_load in class system 
not defined in policy.
    [    6.030638] systemd[1]: systemd-boot-clear-sysfail.service - 
Clear SysFail Entry If The Boot Is Successful skipped, unmet condition 
check 
ConditionPathExists=/sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntrySysFail-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f
    [    6.030683] systemd[1]: systemd-hibernate-clear.service - Clear 
Stale Hibernate Storage Info skipped, unmet condition check 
ConditionPathExists=/sys/firmware/efi/efivars/HibernateLocation-8cf2644b-4b0b-428f-9387-6d876050dc67
    [    6.751552] kvm_amd: [Firmware Bug]: Cannot enable x2AVIC, AVIC 
is unsupported
    [    6.876631] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: loaded firmware 
rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-2.bin
    [    6.886529] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware version 
0.29.29.15 (6fb3ec41), cmd version 0, type 5
    [    6.886547] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware version 
0.29.29.15 (6fb3ec41), cmd version 0, type 3
    [    7.197141] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element BB 
version: 00 28 00 00
    [    7.197185] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element radio A 
version: 00 32 00 00
    [    7.197215] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element NCTL 
version: 00 0a 00 00
    [    7.197312] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197314] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197315] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element TXPWR 
version: 00 43 00 00
    [    7.197322] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element PWR_TRK 
version: 00 32 00 00
    [    7.197330] rtw89_8852be 0000:05:00.0: Firmware element REGD 
version: 00 49 00 33
    [ 9114.511326] Bluetooth: Core ver 2.22
    [ 9114.511401] NET: Registered PF_BLUETOOTH protocol family
    [ 9114.511405] Bluetooth: HCI device and connection manager initialized
    [ 9114.511415] Bluetooth: HCI socket layer initialized
    [ 9114.511420] Bluetooth: L2CAP socket layer initialized
    [ 9114.511430] Bluetooth: SCO socket layer initialized
    [ 9649.478314] Bluetooth: BNEP (Ethernet Emulation) ver 1.3
    [ 9649.478328] Bluetooth: BNEP filters: protocol multicast
    [ 9649.478340] Bluetooth: BNEP socket layer initialized
    [10359.251101] usbcore: registered new interface driver btusb
    [10359.255740] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: examining hci_ver=0b 
hci_rev=000b lmp_ver=0b lmp_subver=8852
    [10359.258669] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: rom_version status=0 version=3
    [10359.261690] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: btrtl_initialize: key id 0
    [10359.261700] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: loading rtl_bt/rtl8852bu_fw.bin
    [10359.273061] Bluetooth: hci0: RTL: loading rtl_bt/rtl8852bu_config.bin
    [10359.279751] Bluetooth: hci0: Opcode 0xfcf0 failed: -16
    [10359.282699] Bluetooth: hci0: AOSP extensions version v0.96
    [10359.282710] Bluetooth: hci0: AOSP quality report is not supported


    ➤ rfkill list
    0: ideapad_wlan: Wireless LAN
   	Soft blocked: no
   	Hard blocked: no
    1: ideapad_bluetooth: Bluetooth
   	Soft blocked: no
   	Hard blocked: no
    2: phy0: Wireless LAN
   	Soft blocked: no
   	Hard blocked: no
    3: hci0: Bluetooth
   	Soft blocked: no
   	Hard blocked: no


    ➤ bluetoothctl show
    No default controller available


    ➤ systemctl status bluetooth
...
    Available
...

    ➤ inxi -Fxz
    System:
    Kernel: 7.1.0-352.vanilla.fc44.x86_64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 
compiler: gcc
    Machine:
    Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 21VR v: ThinkBook 14 G8+ AHP
    Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216
       v: TDCN24WW date: 04/14/2026
    CPU:
    Info: 8-core model: AMD Ryzen 7 H 255 w/ Radeon 780M Graphics bits: 64
    Network:
    Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
       vendor: Lenovo driver: r8169 v: kernel port: b000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
    IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
    Device-2: Realtek RTL8852BE PCIe 802.11ax Wireless Network vendor: 
Lenovo
       driver: rtw89_8852be v: kernel port: a000 bus-ID: 05:00.0
    IF: wlp5s0 state: up mac: <filter>
    IF-ID-1: docker0 state: down mac: <filter>
    Bluetooth:
    Device-1: Realtek Bluetooth Radio driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB
       bus-ID: 1-5:3
    Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: down
       bt-service: enabled,running rfk-block: hardware: no software: no
       address: <filter>

Troubleshooting attempts:
1. Performed full power drain - no effect
2. Updated linux-firmware from git.kernel.org - no rtl8852b853 firmware 
found
3. Tested on kernels 7.0.x and 7.1.0 - same error

Additional context: Windows 11 is pre-installed on this laptop, WiFi and
Bluetooth works correctly in Windows. Fast Startup is disabled, Secure
Boot is disabled.

Questions:
1. Is USB ID 0bda:b853 a known revision of RTL8852BE that requires specific
    firmware mapping in btrtl driver?
2. The driver loads the firmware, but the chip rejects command 0xfcf0.
    Does this revision require a different firmware file?
3. Is there a way to force the driver to use a different firmware file for
    this USB ID?
4. Should a new entry be added to the btrtl_device_id table in btrtl.c for
    USB_DEVICE(0x0bda, 0xb853)?

I'm willing to provide additional logs, test patches, or send the device 
for
debugging if needed.

Thank you for your work on the Bluetooth subsystem.

Best regards,
michail383krasnov@mail.ru

RE: RTL8852BE (0bda:b853) Bluetooth initialization fails with -16 on ThinkBook 14+ 2026

[Zenm Chen]

Hi Max and Hilda,

Could you please take a look at this issue? thanks!

https://lore.kernel.org/linux-bluetooth/b2bc01ba-edc8-4e73-9358-a3bf1d7c569d@mail.ru/