[PATCH v2 0/9] mm/huge_memory: refactor zap_huge_pmd()

Lorenzo Stoakes (Oracle)
2026-03-19T13:00:23Z

The zap_huge_pmd() function is overly complicated, clean it up and also add
an assert in the case that we encounter a buggy PMD entry that doesn't
match expectations.

This is motivated by a bug discovered [0] where the PMD entry was none of:

* A non-DAX, PFN or mixed map.
* The huge zero folio
* A present PMD entry
* A softleaf entry

In zap_huge_pmd(), but due to the bug we manged to reach this code.

It is useful to explicitly call this out rather than have an arbitrary NULL
pointer dereference happen, which also improves understanding of what's
going on.

[0]:https://lore.kernel.org/all/6b3d7ad7-49e1-407a-903d-3103704160d8@lucifer.local/

v2:
* Added tags thanks everybody!
* Fixed issue with returning false on bug case potentially looping forever as
per Baolin.
* Fixed further issue in bug path in 5/8 with double pte unlock.
* Add patch to use vm_normal_folio_pmd() as per David.

v1:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/cover.1773865827.git.ljs@kernel.org/

Lorenzo Stoakes (Oracle) (9):
mm/huge_memory: simplify vma_is_specal_huge()
mm/huge: avoid big else branch in zap_huge_pmd()
mm/huge_memory: have zap_huge_pmd return a boolean, add kdoc
mm/huge_memory: handle buggy PMD entry in zap_huge_pmd()
mm/huge_memory: add a common exit path to zap_huge_pmd()
mm/huge_memory: remove unnecessary VM_BUG_ON_PAGE()
mm/huge_memory: deduplicate zap deposited table call
mm/huge_memory: deduplicate zap_huge_pmd() further by tracking state
mm/huge_memory: have zap_huge_pmd() use vm_normal_folio_pmd()

include/linux/huge_mm.h | 8 +--
include/linux/mm.h | 16 -----
mm/huge_memory.c | 141 +++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
3 files changed, 85 insertions(+), 80 deletions(-)

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2.53.