[PATCH 0/37] PCI/MSI: Enforce explicit IRQ vector management by removing devres auto-free

Shawn Lin
2026-02-23T15:46:42Z

This patch series addresses a long-standing design issue in the PCI/MSI
subsystem where the implicit, automatic management of IRQ vectors by
the devres framework conflicts with explicit driver cleanup, creating
ambiguity and potential resource management bugs.

==== The Problem: Implicit vs. Explicit Management ====
Historically, `pcim_enable_device()` not only manages standard PCI resources
(BARs) via devres but also implicitly triggers automatic IRQ vector management
by setting a flag that registers `pcim_msi_release()` as a cleanup action.

This creates an ambiguous ownership model. Many drivers follow a pattern of:
1. Calling `pci_alloc_irq_vectors()` to allocate interrupts.
2. Also calling `pci_free_irq_vectors()` in their error paths or remove routines.

When such a driver also uses `pcim_enable_device()`, the devres framework may
attempt to free the IRQ vectors a second time upon device release, leading to
a double-free. Analysis of the tree shows this hazardous pattern exists widely,
while 35 other drivers correctly rely solely on the implicit cleanup.

==== The Solution: Making Management Explicit ====
This series enforces a clear, predictable model:
1. New Managed API (Patch 1/37): Introduces pcim_alloc_irq_vectors() and
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors_affinity(). Drivers that desire devres-managed IRQ
vectors should use these functions, which set the is_msi_managed flag and
ensure automatic cleanup.
2. Patches 2 through 36 convert each driver that uses pcim_enable_device() alongside
pci_alloc_irq_vectors() and relies on devres for IRQ vector cleanup to instead
make an explicit call to pcim_alloc_irq_vectors().
3. Core Change (Patch 37/37): With the former cleanup, now modifies pcim_setup_msi_release()
to check only the is_msi_managed flag. This decouples automatic IRQ cleanup from
pcim_enable_device(). IRQ vectors allocated via pci_alloc_irq_vectors*()
are now solely the driver's responsibility to free with pci_free_irq_vectors().

With these changes, we clear ownership model: Explicit resource management eliminates
ambiguity and follows the "principle of least surprise." New drivers choose one model and
be consistent.
- Use `pci_alloc_irq_vectors()` + `pci_free_irq_vectors()` for explicit control.
- Use `pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()` for devres-managed, automatic cleanup.

==== Testing And Review ====
1. This series is only compiled test with allmodconfig.
2. Given the substantial size of this patch series, I have structured the mailing
to facilitate efficient review. The cover letter, the first patch and the last one will be sent
to all relevant mailing lists and key maintainers to ensure broad visibility and
initial feedback on the overall approach. The remaining subsystem-specific patches
will be sent only to the respective subsystem maintainers and their associated
mailing lists, reducing noise.

Please help review it, much thanks!

Shawn Lin (37):
PCI/MSI: Add Devres managed IRQ vectors allocation
mmc: cavium: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
media: ipu6: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
gpio: merrifield: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
PCI: switchtec: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
PCI: vmd: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
spi: spi-pci1xxxx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
spi: pxa2xx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
i2c: amd-mp2: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
i2c: mchp-pci1xxxx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
i2c: thunderx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
i2c: designware: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
bus: mhi: host: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
serial: 8250_mid: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
serial: 8250_exar: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
platform/x86/intel: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
crypto: safexcel: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
crypto: octeontx2: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
cxl/pci: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
drm/hisilicon/hibmc: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
iommu/riscv: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
thunderbolt: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
accel/amdxdna: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
accel/ivpu: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
accel/qaic: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
net: stmmac: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
r8169: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
net: thunder_bgx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
net: hibmcge: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
mfd: intel-lpss: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
dmaengine: hsu: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
dmaengine: hisilicon: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
i3c: mipi-i3c-hci-pci: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
HID: intel-ish-ipc: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
HID: Intel-thc-hid: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
misc: microchip: pci1xxxx: Replace pci_alloc_irq_vectors() with
pcim_alloc_irq_vectors()
PCI/MSI: Only check is_msi_managed in pcim_setup_msi_release()

drivers/accel/amdxdna/aie2_pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/accel/ivpu/ivpu_drv.c | 2 +-
drivers/accel/qaic/qaic_drv.c | 4 ++--
drivers/bus/mhi/host/pci_generic.c | 3 ++-
drivers/crypto/inside-secure/safexcel.c | 8 +++----
drivers/crypto/marvell/octeontx2/otx2_cptpf_main.c | 2 +-
drivers/crypto/marvell/octeontx2/otx2_cptvf_main.c | 4 ++--
drivers/cxl/pci.c | 8 ++-----
drivers/dma/hisi_dma.c | 3 +--
drivers/dma/hsu/pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/gpio/gpio-merrifield.c | 2 +-
drivers/gpu/drm/hisilicon/hibmc/hibmc_drm_drv.c | 4 ++--
drivers/hid/intel-ish-hid/ipc/pci-ish.c | 2 +-
.../intel-thc-hid/intel-quicki2c/pci-quicki2c.c | 2 +-
drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-amd-mp2-pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-pcidrv.c | 2 +-
drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-mchp-pci1xxxx.c | 2 +-
drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-thunderx-pcidrv.c | 2 +-
drivers/i3c/master/mipi-i3c-hci/mipi-i3c-hci-pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/iommu/riscv/iommu-pci.c | 4 ++--
drivers/media/pci/intel/ipu6/ipu6.c | 2 +-
drivers/mfd/intel-lpss-pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/misc/mchp_pci1xxxx/mchp_pci1xxxx_gp.c | 2 +-
drivers/mmc/host/cavium-thunderx.c | 2 +-
drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c | 4 ++--
drivers/net/ethernet/hisilicon/hibmcge/hbg_irq.c | 4 ++--
drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c | 2 +-
drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/dwmac-intel.c | 6 ++---
drivers/pci/controller/vmd.c | 4 ++--
drivers/pci/msi/api.c | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++
drivers/pci/msi/msi.c | 4 +---
drivers/pci/switch/switchtec.c | 6 ++---
drivers/platform/x86/intel/ehl_pse_io.c | 2 +-
drivers/spi/spi-pci1xxxx.c | 4 ++--
drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-pci.c | 2 +-
drivers/thunderbolt/nhi.c | 6 ++---
drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_exar.c | 2 +-
drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_mid.c | 2 +-
include/linux/pci.h | 22 ++++++++++++++++++
39 files changed, 104 insertions(+), 62 deletions(-)

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2.7.4