[PATCH v1] sched/uclamp: Exclude kernel threads from uclamp logic
From: Zihuan Zhang
Date: Thu Jul 03 2025 - 05:16:39 EST
Kernel threads (PF_KTHREAD) are not subject to user-defined utilization
clamping. They do not represent user workloads and should not participate
in any uclamp logic, including:
- clamp initialization during fork/post-fork
- effective clamp value computation
- runtime aggregation (uclamp_rq_inc/dec)
Allowing kernel threads into these paths may pollute the rq->uclamp[]
statistics, mislead schedutil governor's frequency selection, and
complicate debugging or trace interpretation.
This patch ensures that:
- uclamp_fork() and uclamp_post_fork() skip kernel threads
- uclamp_eff_value() return default values
- uclamp_rq_inc() and uclamp_rq_dec() skip kernel threads
This aligns the semantics of uclamp with its original intent:
user-space task-specific clamping.
dmesg in uclamp_rq_inc_id:
[ 76.373903] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.375905] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.379837] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.379839] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.379839] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.379841] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.383897] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.383897] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.383900] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.383901] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.387885] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.387885] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.387888] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.387889] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.388139] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:jbd2/sda3-8 pid:316 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.388140] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.388142] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.388143] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:jbd2/sda3-8 pid:316 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.388169] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:6 pid:93 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.388171] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:6 pid:93 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.388891] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.388893] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.392900] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.392902] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.398850] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.398852] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.401880] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:ksoftirqd/8 pid:67 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.401883] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:ksoftirqd/8 pid:67 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.409053] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.409054] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.410881] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:10 pid:97 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.410884] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:10 pid:97 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.419947] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.419949] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.419976] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:6 pid:93 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.419979] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:6 pid:93 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.420119] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.420121] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1H pid:188 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.420642] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.420644] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.434914] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kcompactd0 pid:108 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.434916] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kcompactd0 pid:108 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.447689] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/3:2 pid:244 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.447691] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/3:2 pid:244 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.447705] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:ksoftirqd/3 pid:37 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.447707] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:ksoftirqd/3 pid:37 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.448809] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.448811] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.451260] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.451263] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.452806] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.452808] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:rcu_preempt pid:16 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.488052] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.488054] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.488767] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.488770] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490847] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/3:2 pid:244 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490848] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1 pid:143 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490849] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:3 pid:462 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490848] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/7:2 pid:687 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490849] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/11:1 pid:146 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490850] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/2:1 pid:143 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490851] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/3:2 pid:244 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490851] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/11:1 pid:146 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490851] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/7:2 pid:687 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490853] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:3 pid:462 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.490857] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/5:1 pid:141 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.490859] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/5:1 pid:141 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.491850] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/4:2 pid:534 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.491852] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/4:2 pid:534 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.504848] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/10:2 pid:228 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.504852] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/10:2 pid:228 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.508785] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/9:1 pid:142 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.508787] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/9:1 pid:142 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.514856] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:10 pid:97 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
[ 76.514859] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/u48:10 pid:97 clamp_id:1 value:1024 kthread:1
[ 76.522742] uclamp_rq_inc_id: task:kworker/1:1H pid:153 clamp_id:0 value:0 kthread:1
Signed-off-by: Zihuan Zhang <zhangzihuan@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/sched/core.c | 13 +++++++++++++
1 file changed, 13 insertions(+)
diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 8988d38d46a3..a1e6b4157682 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -1630,6 +1630,9 @@ unsigned long uclamp_eff_value(struct task_struct *p, enum uclamp_id clamp_id)
{
struct uclamp_se uc_eff;
+ if (p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
+ return uclamp_none(clamp_id);
+
/* Task currently refcounted: use back-annotated (effective) value */
if (p->uclamp[clamp_id].active)
return (unsigned long)p->uclamp[clamp_id].value;
@@ -1769,6 +1772,9 @@ static inline void uclamp_rq_inc(struct rq *rq, struct task_struct *p, int flags
if (unlikely(!p->sched_class->uclamp_enabled))
return;
+ if (p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
+ return;
+
/* Only inc the delayed task which being woken up. */
if (p->se.sched_delayed && !(flags & ENQUEUE_DELAYED))
return;
@@ -1797,6 +1803,9 @@ static inline void uclamp_rq_dec(struct rq *rq, struct task_struct *p)
if (unlikely(!p->sched_class->uclamp_enabled))
return;
+ if (p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
+ return;
+
if (p->se.sched_delayed)
return;
@@ -1977,6 +1986,8 @@ static void uclamp_fork(struct task_struct *p)
{
enum uclamp_id clamp_id;
+ if (p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
+ return;
/*
* We don't need to hold task_rq_lock() when updating p->uclamp_* here
* as the task is still at its early fork stages.
@@ -1995,6 +2006,8 @@ static void uclamp_fork(struct task_struct *p)
static void uclamp_post_fork(struct task_struct *p)
{
+ if (p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
+ return;
uclamp_update_util_min_rt_default(p);
}
--
2.25.1