[PATCH v3 3/5] KVM: arm64: GICv3: nv: Resync LRs/VMCR/HCR early for better MI emulation

Fuad Tabba tabba at google.com
Mon Nov 17 03:24:24 PST 2025


Hi Marc,


On Mon, 17 Nov 2025 at 09:15, Marc Zyngier <maz at kernel.org> wrote:
>
> The current approach to nested GICv3 support is to not do anything
> while L2 is running, wait a transition from L2 to L1 to resync
> LRs, VMCR and HCR, and only then evaluate the state to decide
> whether to generate a maintenance interrupt.
>
> This doesn't provide a good quality of emulation, and it would be
> far preferable to find out early that we need to perform a switch.
>
> Move the LRs/VMCR and HCR resync into vgic_v3_sync_nested(), so
> that we have most of the state available. As we turning the vgic
> off at this stage to avoid a screaming host MI, add a new helper
> vgic_v3_flush_nested() that switches the vgic on again. The MI can
> then be directly injected as required.
>
> Signed-off-by: Marc Zyngier <maz at kernel.org>
> ---
>  arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_hyp.h     |  1 +
>  arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vgic-v3-sr.c      |  2 +-
>  arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic-v3-nested.c | 69 ++++++++++++++++------------
>  arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.c           |  6 ++-
>  arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.h           |  1 +
>  5 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_hyp.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_hyp.h
> index dbf16a9f67728..76ce2b94bd97e 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_hyp.h
> +++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_hyp.h
> @@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ DECLARE_PER_CPU(struct kvm_nvhe_init_params, kvm_init_params);
>  int __vgic_v2_perform_cpuif_access(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>
>  u64 __gic_v3_get_lr(unsigned int lr);
> +void __gic_v3_set_lr(u64 val, int lr);
>
>  void __vgic_v3_save_state(struct vgic_v3_cpu_if *cpu_if);
>  void __vgic_v3_restore_state(struct vgic_v3_cpu_if *cpu_if);
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vgic-v3-sr.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vgic-v3-sr.c
> index 71199e1a92940..99342c13e1794 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vgic-v3-sr.c
> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vgic-v3-sr.c
> @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ u64 __gic_v3_get_lr(unsigned int lr)
>         unreachable();
>  }
>
> -static void __gic_v3_set_lr(u64 val, int lr)
> +void __gic_v3_set_lr(u64 val, int lr)
>  {
>         switch (lr & 0xf) {
>         case 0:
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic-v3-nested.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic-v3-nested.c
> index 17bceef83269e..bf37fd3198ba7 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic-v3-nested.c
> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic-v3-nested.c
> @@ -70,13 +70,14 @@ static int lr_map_idx_to_shadow_idx(struct shadow_if *shadow_if, int idx)
>   * - on L2 put: perform the inverse transformation, so that the result of L2
>   *   running becomes visible to L1 in the VNCR-accessible registers.
>   *
> - * - there is nothing to do on L2 entry, as everything will have happened
> - *   on load. However, this is the point where we detect that an interrupt
> - *   targeting L1 and prepare the grand switcheroo.
> + * - there is nothing to do on L2 entry apart from enabling the vgic, as
> + *   everything will have happened on load. However, this is the point where
> + *   we detect that an interrupt targeting L1 and prepare the grand
> + *   switcheroo.
>   *
> - * - on L2 exit: emulate the HW bit, and deactivate corresponding the L1
> - *   interrupt. The L0 active state will be cleared by the HW if the L1
> - *   interrupt was itself backed by a HW interrupt.
> + * - on L2 exit: resync the LRs and VMCR, emulate the HW bit, and deactivate
> + *   corresponding the L1 interrupt. The L0 active state will be cleared by
> + *   the HW if the L1 interrupt was itself backed by a HW interrupt.
>   *
>   * Maintenance Interrupt (MI) management:
>   *
> @@ -265,15 +266,30 @@ static void vgic_v3_create_shadow_lr(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
>         s_cpu_if->used_lrs = hweight16(shadow_if->lr_map);
>  }
>
> +void vgic_v3_flush_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
> +{
> +       u64 val = __vcpu_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_HCR_EL2);
> +
> +       write_sysreg_s(val | vgic_ich_hcr_trap_bits(), SYS_ICH_HCR_EL2);
> +}
> +
>  void vgic_v3_sync_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>  {
>         struct shadow_if *shadow_if = get_shadow_if();
>         int i;
>
>         for_each_set_bit(i, &shadow_if->lr_map, kvm_vgic_global_state.nr_lr) {
> -               u64 lr = __vcpu_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_LRN(i));
> +               u64 val, host_lr, lr;
>                 struct vgic_irq *irq;
>
> +               host_lr = __gic_v3_get_lr(lr_map_idx_to_shadow_idx(shadow_if, i));
> +
> +               /* Propagate the new LR state */
> +               lr = __vcpu_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_LRN(i));
> +               val = lr & ~ICH_LR_STATE;
> +               val |= host_lr & ICH_LR_STATE;
> +               __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_LRN(i), val);
> +

As I said before, I am outside of my comfort zone here. However,
should the following check be changed to use the merged 'val', rather
than the guest lr as it was?

Cheers,
/fuad

>                 if (!(lr & ICH_LR_HW) || !(lr & ICH_LR_STATE))
>                         continue;
>
> @@ -286,12 +302,21 @@ void vgic_v3_sync_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>                 if (WARN_ON(!irq)) /* Shouldn't happen as we check on load */
>                         continue;
>
> -               lr = __gic_v3_get_lr(lr_map_idx_to_shadow_idx(shadow_if, i));
> -               if (!(lr & ICH_LR_STATE))
> +               if (!(host_lr & ICH_LR_STATE))
>                         irq->active = false;
>
>                 vgic_put_irq(vcpu->kvm, irq);
>         }
> +
> +       /* We need these to be synchronised to generate the MI */
> +       __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_VMCR_EL2, read_sysreg_s(SYS_ICH_VMCR_EL2));
> +       __vcpu_rmw_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_HCR_EL2, &=, ~ICH_HCR_EL2_EOIcount);
> +       __vcpu_rmw_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_HCR_EL2, |=, read_sysreg_s(SYS_ICH_HCR_EL2) & ICH_HCR_EL2_EOIcount);
> +
> +       write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_ICH_HCR_EL2);
> +       isb();
> +
> +       vgic_v3_nested_update_mi(vcpu);
>  }
>
>  static void vgic_v3_create_shadow_state(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
> @@ -325,7 +350,8 @@ void vgic_v3_load_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>         __vgic_v3_restore_vmcr_aprs(cpu_if);
>         __vgic_v3_activate_traps(cpu_if);
>
> -       __vgic_v3_restore_state(cpu_if);
> +       for (int i = 0; i < cpu_if->used_lrs; i++)
> +               __gic_v3_set_lr(cpu_if->vgic_lr[i], i);
>
>         /*
>          * Propagate the number of used LRs for the benefit of the HYP
> @@ -338,36 +364,19 @@ void vgic_v3_put_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>  {
>         struct shadow_if *shadow_if = get_shadow_if();
>         struct vgic_v3_cpu_if *s_cpu_if = &shadow_if->cpuif;
> -       u64 val;
>         int i;
>
>         __vgic_v3_save_aprs(s_cpu_if);
> -       __vgic_v3_deactivate_traps(s_cpu_if);
> -       __vgic_v3_save_state(s_cpu_if);
> -
> -       /*
> -        * Translate the shadow state HW fields back to the virtual ones
> -        * before copying the shadow struct back to the nested one.
> -        */
> -       val = __vcpu_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_HCR_EL2);
> -       val &= ~ICH_HCR_EL2_EOIcount_MASK;
> -       val |= (s_cpu_if->vgic_hcr & ICH_HCR_EL2_EOIcount_MASK);
> -       __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_HCR_EL2, val);
> -       __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_VMCR_EL2, s_cpu_if->vgic_vmcr);
>
>         for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
>                 __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_AP0RN(i), s_cpu_if->vgic_ap0r[i]);
>                 __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_AP1RN(i), s_cpu_if->vgic_ap1r[i]);
>         }
>
> -       for_each_set_bit(i, &shadow_if->lr_map, kvm_vgic_global_state.nr_lr) {
> -               val = __vcpu_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_LRN(i));
> -
> -               val &= ~ICH_LR_STATE;
> -               val |= s_cpu_if->vgic_lr[lr_map_idx_to_shadow_idx(shadow_if, i)] & ICH_LR_STATE;
> +       for (i = 0; i < s_cpu_if->used_lrs; i++)
> +               __gic_v3_set_lr(0, i);
>
> -               __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, ICH_LRN(i), val);
> -       }
> +       __vgic_v3_deactivate_traps(s_cpu_if);
>
>         vcpu->arch.vgic_cpu.vgic_v3.used_lrs = 0;
>  }
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.c
> index a2f408754774e..4e4db52008c10 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.c
> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.c
> @@ -1056,8 +1056,9 @@ void kvm_vgic_flush_hwstate(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>          *   abort the entry procedure and inject the exception at the
>          *   beginning of the run loop.
>          *
> -        * - Otherwise, do exactly *NOTHING*. The guest state is
> -        *   already loaded, and we can carry on with running it.
> +        * - Otherwise, do exactly *NOTHING* apart from enabling the virtual
> +        *   CPU interface. The guest state is already loaded, and we can
> +        *   carry on with running it.
>          *
>          * If we have NV, but are not in a nested state, compute the
>          * maintenance interrupt state, as it may fire.
> @@ -1066,6 +1067,7 @@ void kvm_vgic_flush_hwstate(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>                 if (kvm_vgic_vcpu_pending_irq(vcpu))
>                         kvm_make_request(KVM_REQ_GUEST_HYP_IRQ_PENDING, vcpu);
>
> +               vgic_v3_flush_nested(vcpu);
>                 return;
>         }
>
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.h b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.h
> index ec3a61e8e6b30..5f0fc96b4dc29 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.h
> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/vgic/vgic.h
> @@ -446,6 +446,7 @@ static inline bool kvm_has_gicv3(struct kvm *kvm)
>         return kvm_has_feat(kvm, ID_AA64PFR0_EL1, GIC, IMP);
>  }
>
> +void vgic_v3_flush_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>  void vgic_v3_sync_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>  void vgic_v3_load_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>  void vgic_v3_put_nested(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
> --
> 2.47.3
>
>



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