[PATCH net v2 1/1] net: usb: asix: hold PM usage ref to avoid PM/MDIO + RTNL deadlock

[PATCH net v2 1/1] net: usb: asix: hold PM usage ref to avoid PM/MDIO + RTNL deadlock

[Oleksij Rempel]

Prevent USB runtime PM (autosuspend) for AX88772* in bind.

usbnet enables runtime PM (autosuspend) by default, so disabling it via
the usb_driver flag is ineffective. On AX88772B, autosuspend shows no
measurable power saving with current driver (no link partner, admin
up/down). The ~0.453 W -> ~0.248 W drop on v6.1 comes from phylib powering
the PHY off on admin-down, not from USB autosuspend.

The real hazard is that with runtime PM enabled, ndo_open() (under RTNL)
may synchronously trigger autoresume (usb_autopm_get_interface()) into
asix_resume() while the USB PM lock is held. Resume paths then invoke
phylink/phylib and MDIO, which also expect RTNL, leading to possible
deadlocks or PM lock vs MDIO wake issues.

To avoid this, keep the device runtime-PM active by taking a usage
reference in ax88772_bind() and dropping it in unbind(). A non-zero PM
usage count blocks runtime suspend regardless of userspace policy
(.../power/control - pm_runtime_allow/forbid), making this approach
robust against sysfs overrides.

System sleep/resume is unchanged.

Fixes: 4a2c7217cd5a ("net: usb: asix: ax88772: manage PHY PM from MAC")
Reported-by: Hubert Wiśniewski <hubert.wisniewski.25632@gmail.com>
Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/DCGHG5UJT9G3.2K1GHFZ3H87T0@gmail.com
Tested-by: Hubert Wiśniewski <hubert.wisniewski.25632@gmail.com>
Reported-by: Marek Szyprowski <m.szyprowski@samsung.com>
Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/b5ea8296-f981-445d-a09a-2f389d7f6fdd@samsung.com
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Oleksij Rempel <o.rempel@pengutronix.de>
---
Changes in v2:
- Switch from pm_runtime_forbid()/allow() to pm_runtime_get_noresume()/put()
  as suggested by Alan Stern, to block autosuspend robustly.
- Reword commit message to clarify the actual deadlock condition
  (autoresume under RTNL) as pointed out by Oliver Neukum.
- Keep explanation in commit message, shorten in-code comment.

Link to the measurement results:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/aMkPMa650kfKfmF4@pengutronix.de/
---
 drivers/net/usb/asix_devices.c | 28 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 28 insertions(+)

diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/asix_devices.c b/drivers/net/usb/asix_devices.c
index 792ddda1ad49..5c939446515b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/asix_devices.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/asix_devices.c
@@ -625,6 +625,21 @@ static void ax88772_suspend(struct usbnet *dev)
 		   asix_read_medium_status(dev, 1));
 }
 
+/* Notes on PM callbacks and locking context:
+ *
+ * - asix_suspend()/asix_resume() are invoked for both runtime PM and
+ *   system-wide suspend/resume. For struct usb_driver the ->resume()
+ *   callback does not receive pm_message_t, so the resume type cannot
+ *   be distinguished here.
+ *
+ * - The MAC driver must hold RTNL when calling phylink interfaces such as
+ *   phylink_suspend()/resume(). Those calls will also perform MDIO I/O.
+ *
+ * - Taking RTNL and doing MDIO from a runtime-PM resume callback (while
+ *   the USB PM lock is held) is fragile. Since autosuspend brings no
+ *   measurable power saving for this device with current driver version, it is
+ *   disabled below.
+ */
 static int asix_suspend(struct usb_interface *intf, pm_message_t message)
 {
 	struct usbnet *dev = usb_get_intfdata(intf);
@@ -919,6 +934,13 @@ static int ax88772_bind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
 	if (ret)
 		goto initphy_err;
 
+	/* Keep this interface runtime-PM active by taking a usage ref.
+	 * Prevents runtime suspend while bound and avoids resume paths
+	 * that could deadlock (autoresume under RTNL while USB PM lock
+	 * is held, phylink/MDIO wants RTNL).
+	 */
+	pm_runtime_get_noresume(&intf->dev);
+
 	return 0;
 
 initphy_err:
@@ -948,6 +970,8 @@ static void ax88772_unbind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
 	phylink_destroy(priv->phylink);
 	ax88772_mdio_unregister(priv);
 	asix_rx_fixup_common_free(dev->driver_priv);
+	/* Drop the PM usage ref taken in bind() */
+	pm_runtime_put(&intf->dev);
 }
 
 static void ax88178_unbind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
@@ -1600,6 +1624,10 @@ static struct usb_driver asix_driver = {
 	.resume =	asix_resume,
 	.reset_resume =	asix_resume,
 	.disconnect =	usbnet_disconnect,
+	/* usbnet will force supports_autosuspend=1; we explicitly forbid RPM
+	 * per-interface in bind to keep autosuspend disabled for this driver
+	 * by using pm_runtime_forbid().
+	 */
 	.supports_autosuspend = 1,
 	.disable_hub_initiated_lpm = 1,
 };
-- 
2.47.3

Re: [PATCH net v2 1/1] net: usb: asix: hold PM usage ref to avoid PM/MDIO + RTNL deadlock

[Lukas Wunner]

On Wed, Oct 01, 2025 at 03:04:32PM +0200, Oleksij Rempel wrote:
> @@ -1600,6 +1624,10 @@ static struct usb_driver asix_driver = {
>  	.resume =	asix_resume,
>  	.reset_resume =	asix_resume,
>  	.disconnect =	usbnet_disconnect,
> +	/* usbnet will force supports_autosuspend=1; we explicitly forbid RPM
> +	 * per-interface in bind to keep autosuspend disabled for this driver
> +	 * by using pm_runtime_forbid().
> +	 */

Looks like this code comment needs an update, now that you're no longer
using pm_runtime_forbid()?

Thanks,

Lukas