[PATCH v2] cmpxchg: allow const-qualified old value in cmpxchg()

Hangbin Liu liuhangbin at gmail.com
Fri Apr 3 12:19:54 AEDT 2026


The old value passed to cmpxchg() is semantically read-only: it is
only loaded into a register as a comparand and is never written back.
However, the macro currently assigns it implicitly to a local variable
of type __typeof__(*(ptr)), which triggers -Werror=discarded-qualifiers
when old is a const-qualified pointer and ptr points to a non-const type.

Fix this by using __auto_type with the conditional expression trick:

  __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);

The __auto_type deduces the type from the expression, so _o_ naturally
takes the const-qualified type when o is const-qualified, avoiding the
discarded-qualifiers warning. The conditional expression forces the
compiler to verify that o and *(ptr) have compatible types, preserving
the type-safety check that a bare __auto_type _o_ = (o) would lose.
Since the condition is the constant 1, the compiler optimizes away the
*(ptr) branch entirely with no runtime cost.

For macros where ptr is already captured in a local variable (arc's
_p_, hexagon's __ptr, riscv's __ptr), the captured variable is used
in the conditional expression to avoid re-evaluating ptr.

The new value is intentionally left without this treatment: new will
be stored into *ptr, so silently accepting a const-qualified new would
allow callers to store a pointer-to-const into a non-const location
without any compiler warning.

Suggested-by: Jakub Kicinski <kuba at kernel.org>
Signed-off-by: Hangbin Liu <liuhangbin at gmail.com>
---
Changes in v2:
- Use __auto_type as the previous way will loose ptr type checking (David Laight)
- Link to v1: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260402-cmpxchg-v1-1-4561e2c05d2c@gmail.com
---
 arch/alpha/include/asm/cmpxchg.h     | 4 ++--
 arch/arc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h       | 4 ++--
 arch/hexagon/include/asm/cmpxchg.h   | 2 +-
 arch/parisc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h    | 2 +-
 arch/powerpc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h   | 8 ++++----
 arch/riscv/include/asm/cmpxchg.h     | 4 ++--
 arch/sh/include/asm/cmpxchg.h        | 2 +-
 arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_32.h  | 2 +-
 arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_64.h  | 2 +-
 arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h       | 2 +-
 arch/xtensa/include/asm/cmpxchg.h    | 2 +-
 tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h | 2 +-
 12 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/alpha/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/alpha/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index ae1b96479d0c..e6cb60ca35bf 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/alpha/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ ____cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg_local(ptr, o, n)					\
 ({									\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					\
 	(__typeof__(*(ptr))) ____cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,	\
 					  (unsigned long)_n_,		\
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ ____cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, o, n)						\
 ({									\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __ret;					\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					\
 	smp_mb();							\
 	__ret = (__typeof__(*(ptr))) ____cmpxchg((ptr),			\
diff --git a/arch/arc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/arc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index 76f43db0890f..e18609174133 100644
--- a/arch/arc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/arc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #define arch_cmpxchg_relaxed(ptr, old, new)				\
 ({									\
 	__typeof__(ptr) _p_ = (ptr);					\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (old);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (old) : *(_p_);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (new);					\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _prev_;					\
 									\
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, old, new)				        \
 ({									\
 	volatile __typeof__(ptr) _p_ = (ptr);				\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (old);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (old) : *(_p_);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (new);					\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _prev_;					\
 	unsigned long __flags;						\
diff --git a/arch/hexagon/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/hexagon/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index 9c58fb81f7fd..88986fe04072 100644
--- a/arch/hexagon/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/hexagon/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ __arch_xchg(unsigned long x, volatile void *ptr, int size)
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, old, new)				\
 ({								\
 	__typeof__(ptr) __ptr = (ptr);				\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __old = (old);			\
+	__auto_type __old = 1 ? (old) : *(__ptr);		\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __new = (new);			\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __oldval = (__typeof__(*(ptr))) 0;	\
 								\
diff --git a/arch/parisc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/parisc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index bf0a0f1189eb..30748e31aa17 100644
--- a/arch/parisc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/parisc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ __cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new_, int size)
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, o, n)						 \
 ({									 \
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					 \
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				 \
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					 \
 	(__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,	 \
 				    (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr))); \
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index dbb50c06f0bf..eaf88b7d0443 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ __cmpxchg_acquire(void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 }
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, o, n)						 \
   ({									 \
-     __typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					 \
+     __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				 \
      __typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					 \
      (__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,		 \
 				    (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr))); \
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ __cmpxchg_acquire(void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg_local(ptr, o, n)					 \
   ({									 \
-     __typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					 \
+     __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				 \
      __typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					 \
      (__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg_local((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,	 \
 				    (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr))); \
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ __cmpxchg_acquire(void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg_relaxed(ptr, o, n)					\
 ({									\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					\
 	(__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg_relaxed((ptr),			\
 			(unsigned long)_o_, (unsigned long)_n_,		\
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ __cmpxchg_acquire(void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new,
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg_acquire(ptr, o, n)					\
 ({									\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					\
 	(__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg_acquire((ptr),			\
 			(unsigned long)_o_, (unsigned long)_n_,		\
diff --git a/arch/riscv/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/riscv/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index 8712cf9c69dc..30ade671298f 100644
--- a/arch/riscv/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/riscv/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@
 		      cas_prepend, cas_append)				\
 ({									\
 	__typeof__(ptr) __ptr = (ptr);					\
-	__typeof__(*(__ptr)) __old = (old);				\
+	__auto_type __old = 1 ? (old) : *(__ptr);			\
 	__typeof__(*(__ptr)) __new = (new);				\
 	__typeof__(*(__ptr)) __ret;					\
 									\
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ union __u128_halves {
 
 #define __arch_cmpxchg128(p, o, n, cas_sfx)					\
 ({										\
-	__typeof__(*(p)) __o = (o);                                             \
+	__auto_type __o = 1 ? (o) : *(p);					\
 	union __u128_halves __hn = { .full = (n) };				\
 	union __u128_halves __ho = { .full = (__o) };				\
 	register unsigned long t1 asm ("t1") = __hn.low;			\
diff --git a/arch/sh/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/sh/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index 1e5dc5ccf7bf..6c1bfb367f11 100644
--- a/arch/sh/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/sh/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static inline unsigned long __cmpxchg(volatile void * ptr, unsigned long old,
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr,o,n)						 \
   ({									 \
-     __typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					 \
+     __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				 \
      __typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					 \
      (__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,		 \
 				    (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr))); \
diff --git a/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_32.h b/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_32.h
index 8c1a3ca34eeb..df40a16dd021 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_32.h
+++ b/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_32.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ __cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new_, int size)
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr, o, n)						\
 ({									\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					\
+	__auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					\
 	(__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,	\
 			(unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr)));		\
diff --git a/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_64.h b/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_64.h
index 3de25262c411..4b540405fcc7 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_64.h
+++ b/arch/sparc/include/asm/cmpxchg_64.h
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ __cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new, int size)
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr,o,n)						 \
   ({									 \
-     __typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);					 \
+     __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				 \
      __typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);					 \
      (__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,		 \
 				    (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof(*(ptr))); \
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index a88b06f1c35e..e0340579ef69 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ extern void __add_wrong_size(void)
 #define __raw_cmpxchg(ptr, old, new, size, lock)			\
 ({									\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __ret;					\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __old = (old);				\
+	__auto_type __old = 1 ? (old) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __new = (new);				\
 	switch (size) {							\
 	case __X86_CASE_B:						\
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/arch/xtensa/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index b6db4838b175..057fd24ed125 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/arch/xtensa/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ __cmpxchg(volatile void *ptr, unsigned long old, unsigned long new, int size)
 }
 
 #define arch_cmpxchg(ptr,o,n)						      \
-	({ __typeof__(*(ptr)) _o_ = (o);				      \
+	({ __auto_type _o_ = 1 ? (o) : *(ptr);				      \
 	   __typeof__(*(ptr)) _n_ = (n);				      \
 	   (__typeof__(*(ptr))) __cmpxchg((ptr), (unsigned long)_o_,	      \
 	   			        (unsigned long)_n_, sizeof (*(ptr))); \
diff --git a/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h b/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
index 0ed9ca2766ad..bbd3960c2218 100644
--- a/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
+++ b/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cmpxchg.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ extern void __cmpxchg_wrong_size(void)
 #define __raw_cmpxchg(ptr, old, new, size, lock)			\
 ({									\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __ret;					\
-	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __old = (old);				\
+	__auto_type __old = 1 ? (old) : *(ptr);				\
 	__typeof__(*(ptr)) __new = (new);				\
 	switch (size) {							\
 	case __X86_CASE_B:						\

---
base-commit: f8f5627a8aeab15183eef8930bf75ba88a51622f
change-id: 20260402-cmpxchg-2fd307f44a41

Best regards,
-- 
Hangbin Liu <liuhangbin at gmail.com>



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