[PATCH 1/2] module: Override -EEXISTS module return

From: Lucas De Marchi

Date: Mon Oct 13 2025 - 12:27:08 EST


The -EEXIST errno is reserved by the module loading functionality. When
userspace calls [f]init_module(), it expects a -EEXIST to mean that the
module is already loaded in the kernel. If module_init() returns it,
that is not true anymore.

Add a warning and override the return code to workaround modules
currently returning the wrong code. It's expected that they eventually
migrate to a better suited error.

Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/aKLzsAX14ybEjHfJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxx/
Signed-off-by: Lucas De Marchi <lucas.demarchi@xxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/module/main.c | 5 +++++
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/kernel/module/main.c b/kernel/module/main.c
index c66b261849362..74ff87b13c517 100644
--- a/kernel/module/main.c
+++ b/kernel/module/main.c
@@ -3038,6 +3038,11 @@ static noinline int do_init_module(struct module *mod)
if (mod->init != NULL)
ret = do_one_initcall(mod->init);
if (ret < 0) {
+ if (ret == -EEXIST) {
+ pr_warn("%s: init suspiciously returned -EEXIST: Overriding with -EBUSY\n",
+ mod->name);
+ ret = -EBUSY;
+ }
goto fail_free_freeinit;
}
if (ret > 0) {

--
2.51.0