[RFC PATCH v6 0/9] vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)

[RFC PATCH v6 0/9] vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)

[Jori Koolstra]

This series implements new semantics for the O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY flag
combination for open*(2): perform a mkdir and open the resulting
directory; return a pinning fd (which mkdir does not).

Changes:
v6: split up the series in more steps. Call may_create_in_sticky() also
    for directories. Revert to old errnos on missing i_op functions
    instead of EOPNOTSUPP.
v5: fixed Sashiko reported issues [1]. Moved to EINVAL banning
    O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY in each individual atomic_open implementation
    instead of in the generic atomic_open() in fs/namei.c.
    v3/4: fixed syzbot reported bugs
v2: don't introduce a new syscall (mkdirat2) but implement this
    functionality as O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY in open*(2).

[1]: 
https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260518165237.2084042-1-jkoolstra%40xs4all.nl



Jori Koolstra (9):
  fs/namei.c: make lookup_last() use trailing_slashes()
  fs/namei.c: move create error && negative dentry case in lookup_open
    up
  vfs: prepare vfs_creat|mkdir_no_perm for reuse in lookup_open()
  vfs: lookup_open(): move setting FMODE_CREATED up when calling
    create()
  vfs: lookup_open(): move audit_inode_child() and i_op->create check to
    before try_break_deleg()
  vfs: lookup_open(): use vfs_create_no_perm()
  vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)
  vfs: move O_IS_MKDIR check out atomic_open() to individual filesystems
  selftest: add tests for open*(O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY)

 fs/9p/vfs_inode.c                             |   3 +
 fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c                        |   3 +
 fs/ceph/file.c                                |   3 +
 fs/fuse/dir.c                                 |   3 +
 fs/gfs2/inode.c                               |   3 +
 fs/namei.c                                    | 213 ++++++++++++------
 fs/nfs/dir.c                                  |   3 +
 fs/nfs/file.c                                 |   3 +
 fs/open.c                                     |  25 +-
 fs/smb/client/dir.c                           |   3 +
 fs/vboxsf/dir.c                               |   3 +
 include/linux/fcntl.h                         |   7 +
 .../testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore  |   1 +
 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile  |   4 +-
 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c   |   1 +
 .../filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c          | 197 ++++++++++++++++
 16 files changed, 389 insertions(+), 86 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c


base-commit: 174914ea551314c52a61713b9c4bde9e42d48073
-- 
2.54.0

[RFC PATCH v6 1/9] fs/namei.c: make lookup_last() use trailing_slashes()

[Jori Koolstra]

Small cleanup to use the existing trailing_slashes() function in
lookup_last().

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 12 ++++++------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index c7fac83c9a85..137d9fffbe80 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2777,9 +2777,14 @@ static const char *path_init(struct nameidata *nd, unsigned flags)
 	return s;
 }
 
+static inline bool trailing_slashes(struct nameidata *nd)
+{
+	return (bool)nd->last.name[nd->last.len];
+}
+
 static inline const char *lookup_last(struct nameidata *nd)
 {
-	if (nd->last_type == LAST_NORM && nd->last.name[nd->last.len])
+	if (nd->last_type == LAST_NORM && trailing_slashes(nd))
 		nd->flags |= LOOKUP_FOLLOW | LOOKUP_DIRECTORY;
 
 	return walk_component(nd, WALK_TRAILING);
@@ -4524,11 +4529,6 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 	return ERR_PTR(error);
 }
 
-static inline bool trailing_slashes(struct nameidata *nd)
-{
-	return (bool)nd->last.name[nd->last.len];
-}
-
 static struct dentry *lookup_fast_for_open(struct nameidata *nd, int open_flag)
 {
 	struct dentry *dentry;

base-commit: 174914ea551314c52a61713b9c4bde9e42d48073
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 1/9] fs/namei.c: make lookup_last() use trailing_slashes()

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> Small cleanup to use the existing trailing_slashes() function in
> lookup_last().

I think this is good and useful but could be better.
There are 5 other places in namei.c where trailing_slashes() could be
used to replace the same test.  Let's do them all at once.

Thanks,
NeilBrown


> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 12 ++++++------
>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index c7fac83c9a85..137d9fffbe80 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -2777,9 +2777,14 @@ static const char *path_init(struct nameidata *nd, unsigned flags)
>  	return s;
>  }
>  
> +static inline bool trailing_slashes(struct nameidata *nd)
> +{
> +	return (bool)nd->last.name[nd->last.len];
> +}
> +
>  static inline const char *lookup_last(struct nameidata *nd)
>  {
> -	if (nd->last_type == LAST_NORM && nd->last.name[nd->last.len])
> +	if (nd->last_type == LAST_NORM && trailing_slashes(nd))
>  		nd->flags |= LOOKUP_FOLLOW | LOOKUP_DIRECTORY;
>  
>  	return walk_component(nd, WALK_TRAILING);
> @@ -4524,11 +4529,6 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  	return ERR_PTR(error);
>  }
>  
> -static inline bool trailing_slashes(struct nameidata *nd)
> -{
> -	return (bool)nd->last.name[nd->last.len];
> -}
> -
>  static struct dentry *lookup_fast_for_open(struct nameidata *nd, int open_flag)
>  {
>  	struct dentry *dentry;
> 
> base-commit: 174914ea551314c52a61713b9c4bde9e42d48073
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

[RFC PATCH v6 2/9] fs/namei.c: move create error && negative dentry case in lookup_open up

[Jori Koolstra]

O_CREAT is stripped when create_error is set in lookup_open(), so when
lookup does not return an inode, the case

	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT))

is always skipped. We can get rid of this cognitive step by handling the
error case first.

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 10 ++++++----
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 137d9fffbe80..4cd132fe3981 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4499,6 +4499,11 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (unlikely(create_error) && !dentry->d_inode) {
+		error = create_error;
+		goto out_dput;
+	}
+
 	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
 	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
 		/* but break the directory lease first! */
@@ -4518,10 +4523,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 		if (error)
 			goto out_dput;
 	}
-	if (unlikely(create_error) && !dentry->d_inode) {
-		error = create_error;
-		goto out_dput;
-	}
+
 	return dentry;
 
 out_dput:
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 2/9] fs/namei.c: move create error && negative dentry case in lookup_open up

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> O_CREAT is stripped when create_error is set in lookup_open(), so when
> lookup does not return an inode, the case
> 
> 	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT))
> 
> is always skipped. We can get rid of this cognitive step by handling the
> error case first.

So you are moving an if() statement which can only do anything if
create_error is set (so O_CREAT is clear) before an if statement that
code only do anything if O_CREAT is set (so create_error must be clear)
and either statement changes either create_error or O_CREAT (in
open_flag).
So that must be safe, and I agree that it improves clarity of the code.

Reviewed-by: NeilBrown <neil@brown.name>

Thanks,
NeilBrown


> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 10 ++++++----
>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 137d9fffbe80..4cd132fe3981 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4499,6 +4499,11 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  		}
>  	}
>  
> +	if (unlikely(create_error) && !dentry->d_inode) {
> +		error = create_error;
> +		goto out_dput;
> +	}
> +
>  	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
>  	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
>  		/* but break the directory lease first! */
> @@ -4518,10 +4523,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  		if (error)
>  			goto out_dput;
>  	}
> -	if (unlikely(create_error) && !dentry->d_inode) {
> -		error = create_error;
> -		goto out_dput;
> -	}
> +
>  	return dentry;
>  
>  out_dput:
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

[RFC PATCH v6 3/9] vfs: prepare vfs_creat|mkdir_no_perm for reuse in lookup_open()

[Jori Koolstra]

To implement O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY we will have to repeat some of the
logic that is now in vfs_mkdir() (e.g. do error checks in the same
order). Separate this out in vfs_mkdir_no_perm(), which does all the
non-permission related work of vfs_mkdir(). Permission checking for the
lookup_open() path is timed differently because we may just be doing an
open and no create. Similar considerations give rise to
vfs_create_no_perm().

Moving the fsnotify_* calls also allows us to deal with this in one
place for each type of operation. This does mean that we also need
to move the fsnotify_* calls into atomic_open() for the atomic open
case, but this actually reduces duplicate code in open_last_lookups()
and dentry_create().

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
 1 file changed, 68 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 4cd132fe3981..2a35dd72ee96 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4171,6 +4171,24 @@ static inline umode_t vfs_prepare_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
 	return mode;
 }
 
+static inline
+int vfs_create_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
+		       umode_t mode, struct delegated_inode *di, bool excl)
+{
+	struct inode *dir = d_inode(dentry->d_parent);
+	int error;
+
+	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
+	if (error)
+		return error;
+
+	error = dir->i_op->create(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, excl);
+	if (!error)
+		fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
 /**
  * vfs_create - create new file
  * @idmap:	idmap of the mount the inode was found from
@@ -4203,13 +4221,8 @@ int vfs_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
 	error = security_inode_create(dir, dentry, mode);
 	if (error)
 		return error;
-	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
-	if (error)
-		return error;
-	error = dir->i_op->create(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, true);
-	if (!error)
-		fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
-	return error;
+
+	return vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, di, /*excl=*/ true);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(vfs_create);
 
@@ -4386,10 +4399,17 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
 				error = -ENOENT;
 		}
 	}
+
 	if (error) {
 		dput(dentry);
 		dentry = ERR_PTR(error);
+	} else {
+		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
+			fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
+		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
+			fsnotify_open(file);
 	}
+
 	return dentry;
 }
 
@@ -4522,6 +4542,8 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 						mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
 		if (error)
 			goto out_dput;
+
+		fsnotify_create(dir_inode, dentry);
 	}
 
 	return dentry;
@@ -4610,13 +4632,9 @@ static const char *open_last_lookups(struct nameidata *nd,
 		inode_lock(dir->d_inode);
 	else
 		inode_lock_shared(dir->d_inode);
+
 	dentry = lookup_open(nd, file, op, got_write, &delegated_inode);
-	if (!IS_ERR(dentry)) {
-		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
-			fsnotify_create(dir->d_inode, dentry);
-		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
-			fsnotify_open(file);
-	}
+
 	if (open_flag & O_CREAT)
 		inode_unlock(dir->d_inode);
 	else
@@ -5051,13 +5069,6 @@ struct file *dentry_create(struct path *path, int flags, umode_t mode,
 		if (unlikely(create_error) && error == -ENOENT)
 			error = create_error;
 
-		if (!error) {
-			if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
-				fsnotify_create(dir->d_inode, dentry);
-			if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
-				fsnotify_open(file);
-		}
-
 		path->dentry = dentry;
 
 	} else {
@@ -5209,6 +5220,39 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE3(mknod, const char __user *, filename, umode_t, mode, unsigned, d
 	return filename_mknodat(AT_FDCWD, name, mode, dev);
 }
 
+static inline
+struct dentry *vfs_mkdir_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
+				 struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
+				 struct delegated_inode *di)
+{
+	int error;
+	struct dentry *de;
+	unsigned max_links = dir->i_sb->s_max_links;
+
+	error = -EMLINK;
+	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
+		goto err;
+
+	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
+	if (error)
+		goto err;
+
+	de = dir->i_op->mkdir(idmap, dir, dentry, mode);
+	if (IS_ERR(de)) {
+		error = PTR_ERR(de);
+		goto err;
+	}
+	if (de) {
+		dput(dentry);
+		dentry = de;
+	}
+	fsnotify_mkdir(dir, dentry);
+	return dentry;
+
+err:
+	return ERR_PTR(error);
+}
+
 /**
  * vfs_mkdir - create directory returning correct dentry if possible
  * @idmap:		idmap of the mount the inode was found from
@@ -5236,7 +5280,6 @@ struct dentry *vfs_mkdir(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 			 struct delegated_inode *delegated_inode)
 {
 	int error;
-	unsigned max_links = dir->i_sb->s_max_links;
 	struct dentry *de;
 
 	error = may_create_dentry(idmap, dir, dentry);
@@ -5252,24 +5295,12 @@ struct dentry *vfs_mkdir(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 	if (error)
 		goto err;
 
-	error = -EMLINK;
-	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
+	de = vfs_mkdir_no_perm(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, delegated_inode);
+	if (IS_ERR(de)) {
+		error = PTR_ERR(de);
 		goto err;
-
-	error = try_break_deleg(dir, delegated_inode);
-	if (error)
-		goto err;
-
-	de = dir->i_op->mkdir(idmap, dir, dentry, mode);
-	error = PTR_ERR(de);
-	if (IS_ERR(de))
-		goto err;
-	if (de) {
-		dput(dentry);
-		dentry = de;
 	}
-	fsnotify_mkdir(dir, dentry);
-	return dentry;
+	return de;
 
 err:
 	end_creating(dentry);
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 3/9] vfs: prepare vfs_creat|mkdir_no_perm for reuse in lookup_open()

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> To implement O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY we will have to repeat some of the
> logic that is now in vfs_mkdir() (e.g. do error checks in the same
> order). Separate this out in vfs_mkdir_no_perm(), which does all the
> non-permission related work of vfs_mkdir(). Permission checking for the
> lookup_open() path is timed differently because we may just be doing an
> open and no create. Similar considerations give rise to
> vfs_create_no_perm().
> 
> Moving the fsnotify_* calls also allows us to deal with this in one
> place for each type of operation. This does mean that we also need
> to move the fsnotify_* calls into atomic_open() for the atomic open
> case, but this actually reduces duplicate code in open_last_lookups()
> and dentry_create().
> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
>  1 file changed, 68 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 4cd132fe3981..2a35dd72ee96 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4171,6 +4171,24 @@ static inline umode_t vfs_prepare_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
>  	return mode;
>  }
>  
> +static inline
> +int vfs_create_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
> +		       umode_t mode, struct delegated_inode *di, bool excl)
> +{
> +	struct inode *dir = d_inode(dentry->d_parent);
> +	int error;
> +
> +	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
> +	if (error)
> +		return error;
> +
> +	error = dir->i_op->create(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, excl);
> +	if (!error)
> +		fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
> +
> +	return error;
> +}
> +
>  /**
>   * vfs_create - create new file
>   * @idmap:	idmap of the mount the inode was found from
> @@ -4203,13 +4221,8 @@ int vfs_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
>  	error = security_inode_create(dir, dentry, mode);
>  	if (error)
>  		return error;
> -	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
> -	if (error)
> -		return error;
> -	error = dir->i_op->create(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, true);
> -	if (!error)
> -		fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
> -	return error;
> +
> +	return vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, di, /*excl=*/ true);
>  }
>  EXPORT_SYMBOL(vfs_create);
>  
> @@ -4386,10 +4399,17 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
>  				error = -ENOENT;
>  		}
>  	}
> +
>  	if (error) {
>  		dput(dentry);
>  		dentry = ERR_PTR(error);
> +	} else {
> +		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
> +			fsnotify_create(dir, dentry);
> +		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
> +			fsnotify_open(file);
>  	}
> +
>  	return dentry;
>  }
>  
> @@ -4522,6 +4542,8 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  						mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
>  		if (error)
>  			goto out_dput;
> +
> +		fsnotify_create(dir_inode, dentry);
>  	}
>  
>  	return dentry;
> @@ -4610,13 +4632,9 @@ static const char *open_last_lookups(struct nameidata *nd,
>  		inode_lock(dir->d_inode);
>  	else
>  		inode_lock_shared(dir->d_inode);
> +
>  	dentry = lookup_open(nd, file, op, got_write, &delegated_inode);
> -	if (!IS_ERR(dentry)) {
> -		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
> -			fsnotify_create(dir->d_inode, dentry);
> -		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
> -			fsnotify_open(file);
> -	}
> +
>  	if (open_flag & O_CREAT)
>  		inode_unlock(dir->d_inode);
>  	else
> @@ -5051,13 +5069,6 @@ struct file *dentry_create(struct path *path, int flags, umode_t mode,
>  		if (unlikely(create_error) && error == -ENOENT)
>  			error = create_error;
>  
> -		if (!error) {
> -			if (file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED)
> -				fsnotify_create(dir->d_inode, dentry);
> -			if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED)
> -				fsnotify_open(file);
> -		}
> -
>  		path->dentry = dentry;
>  
>  	} else {
> @@ -5209,6 +5220,39 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE3(mknod, const char __user *, filename, umode_t, mode, unsigned, d
>  	return filename_mknodat(AT_FDCWD, name, mode, dev);
>  }
>  
> +static inline
> +struct dentry *vfs_mkdir_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
> +				 struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
> +				 struct delegated_inode *di)
> +{
> +	int error;
> +	struct dentry *de;
> +	unsigned max_links = dir->i_sb->s_max_links;
> +
> +	error = -EMLINK;
> +	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
> +		goto err;
> +
> +	error = try_break_deleg(dir, di);
> +	if (error)
> +		goto err;
> +
> +	de = dir->i_op->mkdir(idmap, dir, dentry, mode);
> +	if (IS_ERR(de)) {
> +		error = PTR_ERR(de);
> +		goto err;
> +	}
> +	if (de) {
> +		dput(dentry);
> +		dentry = de;
> +	}
> +	fsnotify_mkdir(dir, dentry);
> +	return dentry;
> +
> +err:
> +	return ERR_PTR(error);
> +}
> +
>  /**
>   * vfs_mkdir - create directory returning correct dentry if possible
>   * @idmap:		idmap of the mount the inode was found from
> @@ -5236,7 +5280,6 @@ struct dentry *vfs_mkdir(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
>  			 struct delegated_inode *delegated_inode)
>  {
>  	int error;
> -	unsigned max_links = dir->i_sb->s_max_links;
>  	struct dentry *de;
>  
>  	error = may_create_dentry(idmap, dir, dentry);
> @@ -5252,24 +5295,12 @@ struct dentry *vfs_mkdir(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
>  	if (error)
>  		goto err;
>  
> -	error = -EMLINK;
> -	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
> +	de = vfs_mkdir_no_perm(idmap, dir, dentry, mode, delegated_inode);
> +	if (IS_ERR(de)) {
> +		error = PTR_ERR(de);
>  		goto err;
> -
> -	error = try_break_deleg(dir, delegated_inode);
> -	if (error)
> -		goto err;
> -
> -	de = dir->i_op->mkdir(idmap, dir, dentry, mode);
> -	error = PTR_ERR(de);
> -	if (IS_ERR(de))
> -		goto err;
> -	if (de) {
> -		dput(dentry);
> -		dentry = de;
>  	}
> -	fsnotify_mkdir(dir, dentry);
> -	return dentry;
> +	return de;
>  
>  err:
>  	end_creating(dentry);
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

This looks good.  I definitely like the idea of moving fsnotify_* calls
closer to where the action happens.

Reviewed-by: NeilBrown <neil@brown.name>

Thanks,
NeilBrown

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 3/9] vfs: prepare vfs_creat|mkdir_no_perm for reuse in lookup_open()

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> To implement O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY we will have to repeat some of the
> logic that is now in vfs_mkdir() (e.g. do error checks in the same
> order). Separate this out in vfs_mkdir_no_perm(), which does all the
> non-permission related work of vfs_mkdir(). Permission checking for the
> lookup_open() path is timed differently because we may just be doing an
> open and no create. Similar considerations give rise to
> vfs_create_no_perm().
> 
> Moving the fsnotify_* calls also allows us to deal with this in one
> place for each type of operation. This does mean that we also need
> to move the fsnotify_* calls into atomic_open() for the atomic open
> case, but this actually reduces duplicate code in open_last_lookups()
> and dentry_create().
> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
>  1 file changed, 68 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 4cd132fe3981..2a35dd72ee96 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4171,6 +4171,24 @@ static inline umode_t vfs_prepare_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
>  	return mode;
>  }
>  
> +static inline
> +int vfs_create_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
> +		       umode_t mode, struct delegated_inode *di, bool excl)
>

I meant to mention this on my first review but got distracted.

I would rather this function didn't have the "bool excl" arg, not
because it is "bool", but because it is not needed.
The 'excl' flag to ->create is not needed and I would like to get rid of
it.  We don't have to do that immediately, but I'd rather not perpetuate
it.

There are two sort of fileystems - local and cluster.
cluster filesystems support ->atomic_open and so ->create is *never*
called with 'excl' false.  All vfs_create() calls (which are either mknod or
internal) are exclusive.

local filesystems do not support ->atomic_open but *always* ignore the
excl flag.  The only time ->create is called with 'excl' being false is
after VFS has already checked that the file doesn't exist, and is
holding a lock so that the there cannot be a concurrent create.

So we can change all filesystems that currently notice 'excl' to assume
that it is always 'true' and we can deprecate the flag.

Maybe I should post some patches, but for you could leave the 'bool
excl' out of this patch, that would be great.

Thanks,
NeilBrown

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 3/9] vfs: prepare vfs_creat|mkdir_no_perm for reuse in lookup_open()

[Jori Koolstra]

> Op 03-06-2026 01:00 CEST schreef NeilBrown <neilb@ownmail.net>:
> 
>  
> On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> > To implement O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY we will have to repeat some of the
> > logic that is now in vfs_mkdir() (e.g. do error checks in the same
> > order). Separate this out in vfs_mkdir_no_perm(), which does all the
> > non-permission related work of vfs_mkdir(). Permission checking for the
> > lookup_open() path is timed differently because we may just be doing an
> > open and no create. Similar considerations give rise to
> > vfs_create_no_perm().
> > 
> > Moving the fsnotify_* calls also allows us to deal with this in one
> > place for each type of operation. This does mean that we also need
> > to move the fsnotify_* calls into atomic_open() for the atomic open
> > case, but this actually reduces duplicate code in open_last_lookups()
> > and dentry_create().
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> > ---
> >  fs/namei.c | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
> >  1 file changed, 68 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> > index 4cd132fe3981..2a35dd72ee96 100644
> > --- a/fs/namei.c
> > +++ b/fs/namei.c
> > @@ -4171,6 +4171,24 @@ static inline umode_t vfs_prepare_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
> >  	return mode;
> >  }
> >  
> > +static inline
> > +int vfs_create_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
> > +		       umode_t mode, struct delegated_inode *di, bool excl)
> >
> 
> I meant to mention this on my first review but got distracted.
> 
> I would rather this function didn't have the "bool excl" arg, not
> because it is "bool", but because it is not needed.
> The 'excl' flag to ->create is not needed and I would like to get rid of
> it.  We don't have to do that immediately, but I'd rather not perpetuate
> it.
> 
> There are two sort of fileystems - local and cluster.
> cluster filesystems support ->atomic_open and so ->create is *never*
> called with 'excl' false.  All vfs_create() calls (which are either mknod or
> internal) are exclusive.
> 
> local filesystems do not support ->atomic_open but *always* ignore the
> excl flag.  The only time ->create is called with 'excl' being false is
> after VFS has already checked that the file doesn't exist, and is
> holding a lock so that the there cannot be a concurrent create.
> 
> So we can change all filesystems that currently notice 'excl' to assume
> that it is always 'true' and we can deprecate the flag.
> 

Ah, yes, I see. I have changed this now.

> Maybe I should post some patches, but for you could leave the 'bool
> excl' out of this patch, that would be great.
> 

I can do that as well if you want, crediting you. I am busy on these
things now anyway.

> Thanks,
> NeilBrown

All the best,
Jori.

[RFC PATCH v6 4/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move setting FMODE_CREATED up when calling create()

[Jori Koolstra]

In preparation for using vfs_create_no_perm() in lookup_open() we need
to move setting FMODE_CREATED on the file mode to either before or after
that call, as currently it is in the middle. If try_break_deleg() fails
it is currently not set, but vfs_create_no_perm() includes a
try_break_deleg().

Going up the call chain of lookup_open() we see that it is only used in
open_last_lookups() if no error is returned from lookup_open(), so we
can safely move it to after the filesystem create() call. This also
makes more sense when reading the code as you don't have to wonder what
the implications are of setting FMODE_CREATED before the create() call.

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 2a35dd72ee96..16dcf537db87 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4531,7 +4531,6 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 		if (error)
 			goto out_dput;
 
-		file->f_mode |= FMODE_CREATED;
 		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
 		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
 			error = -EACCES;
@@ -4544,6 +4543,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 			goto out_dput;
 
 		fsnotify_create(dir_inode, dentry);
+		file->f_mode |= FMODE_CREATED;
 	}
 
 	return dentry;
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 4/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move setting FMODE_CREATED up when calling create()

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> In preparation for using vfs_create_no_perm() in lookup_open() we need
> to move setting FMODE_CREATED on the file mode to either before or after
> that call, as currently it is in the middle. If try_break_deleg() fails
> it is currently not set, but vfs_create_no_perm() includes a
> try_break_deleg().
> 
> Going up the call chain of lookup_open() we see that it is only used in
> open_last_lookups() if no error is returned from lookup_open(), so we
> can safely move it to after the filesystem create() call. This also
> makes more sense when reading the code as you don't have to wonder what
> the implications are of setting FMODE_CREATED before the create() call.

It seemed a bit odd to me that we set FMODE_CREATED before actually
creating.
It doesn't matter as FMODE_CREATED is only meaningful if no error has
been reported, and if create doesn't end up happening, then there must
be an error.

So I like this improvement.

Reviewed-by: NeilBrown <neil@brown.name>

Thanks,
NeilBrown


> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 2 +-
>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 2a35dd72ee96..16dcf537db87 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4531,7 +4531,6 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  		if (error)
>  			goto out_dput;
>  
> -		file->f_mode |= FMODE_CREATED;
>  		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
>  		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
>  			error = -EACCES;
> @@ -4544,6 +4543,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  			goto out_dput;
>  
>  		fsnotify_create(dir_inode, dentry);
> +		file->f_mode |= FMODE_CREATED;
>  	}
>  
>  	return dentry;
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 4/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move setting FMODE_CREATED up when calling create()

[Christian Brauner]

On Mon, Jun 01, 2026 at 12:34:40PM +1000, NeilBrown wrote:
> On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> > In preparation for using vfs_create_no_perm() in lookup_open() we need
> > to move setting FMODE_CREATED on the file mode to either before or after
> > that call, as currently it is in the middle. If try_break_deleg() fails
> > it is currently not set, but vfs_create_no_perm() includes a
> > try_break_deleg().
> > 
> > Going up the call chain of lookup_open() we see that it is only used in
> > open_last_lookups() if no error is returned from lookup_open(), so we
> > can safely move it to after the filesystem create() call. This also
> > makes more sense when reading the code as you don't have to wonder what
> > the implications are of setting FMODE_CREATED before the create() call.
> 
> It seemed a bit odd to me that we set FMODE_CREATED before actually
> creating.

Plus, we kinda-sorta-maybe do expose that as uapi - even though it's
broken on networking filesystems... which I didn't know in that detail
back then. So be prepared to whack me over the head with:

820a185896b77814557302b981b092a9e7b36814


> It doesn't matter as FMODE_CREATED is only meaningful if no error has
> been reported, and if create doesn't end up happening, then there must
> be an error.
> 
> So I like this improvement.

Agreed.

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 4/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move setting FMODE_CREATED up when calling create()

[Jori Koolstra]

> Op 02-06-2026 15:41 CEST schreef Christian Brauner <brauner@kernel.org>:
> 
>  
> On Mon, Jun 01, 2026 at 12:34:40PM +1000, NeilBrown wrote:
> > On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> > > In preparation for using vfs_create_no_perm() in lookup_open() we need
> > > to move setting FMODE_CREATED on the file mode to either before or after
> > > that call, as currently it is in the middle. If try_break_deleg() fails
> > > it is currently not set, but vfs_create_no_perm() includes a
> > > try_break_deleg().
> > > 
> > > Going up the call chain of lookup_open() we see that it is only used in
> > > open_last_lookups() if no error is returned from lookup_open(), so we
> > > can safely move it to after the filesystem create() call. This also
> > > makes more sense when reading the code as you don't have to wonder what
> > > the implications are of setting FMODE_CREATED before the create() call.
> > 
> > It seemed a bit odd to me that we set FMODE_CREATED before actually
> > creating.
> 
> Plus, we kinda-sorta-maybe do expose that as uapi - even though it's
> broken on networking filesystems... which I didn't know in that detail
> back then. So be prepared to whack me over the head with:
> 
> 820a185896b77814557302b981b092a9e7b36814
> 
> 
> > It doesn't matter as FMODE_CREATED is only meaningful if no error has
> > been reported, and if create doesn't end up happening, then there must
> > be an error.
> > 
> > So I like this improvement.
> 
> Agreed.

Let's also just fix this in O_CREAT|O_DIR branch. If somehow that doesn't
make it, we can salvage these pieces and apply them. There is not hurry to
fix this, I think.

[RFC PATCH v6 5/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move audit_inode_child() and i_op->create check to before try_break_deleg()

[Jori Koolstra]

Calling audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check in lookup_open()
take place after the try_break_deleg() call. This does not match the
order when doing a regular file create via mknod(2). There the call
order is:

	filename_mknodat()
	vfs_create()
	may_create_dentry()
	audit_inode_child(dir, child, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE)
	i_op->create check
	try_break_deleg()

In particular, audit_inode_child() is called regardless of whether
try_break_deleg() fails.

Move move audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check to before
try_break_deleg() in lookup_open().

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 11 ++++++-----
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 16dcf537db87..293592a4d011 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4526,17 +4526,18 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 
 	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
 	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
-		/* but break the directory lease first! */
-		error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
-		if (error)
-			goto out_dput;
-
 		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
+
 		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
 			error = -EACCES;
 			goto out_dput;
 		}
 
+		/* but break the directory lease first! */
+		error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
+		if (error)
+			goto out_dput;
+
 		error = dir_inode->i_op->create(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
 						mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
 		if (error)
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 5/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move audit_inode_child() and i_op->create check to before try_break_deleg()

[NeilBrown]

[Paul and Eric - question for you towards the end)

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> Calling audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check in lookup_open()
> take place after the try_break_deleg() call. This does not match the
> order when doing a regular file create via mknod(2). There the call
> order is:
> 
> 	filename_mknodat()
> 	vfs_create()
> 	may_create_dentry()
> 	audit_inode_child(dir, child, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE)
> 	i_op->create check
> 	try_break_deleg()
> 
> In particular, audit_inode_child() is called regardless of whether
> try_break_deleg() fails.
> 
> Move move audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check to before
> try_break_deleg() in lookup_open().

I don't think this is sufficient.
I think (and we should confirm we people who know about auditing) that
the audit call should come before the permission check so that there is
an audit record on failed attempts.  In that case the
audit_inode_child() all needs to be much earlier.

Alternately if we don't need an audit record for failed attempts - maybe
the audit_inode(..., AUDIT_INODE_PARENT) is enough?  - then the
audit_inde_child(..., AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE) in may_create_dentry()
should be after the permission check.

I think you are trying to make the two paths consistent.  I think that
is a good thing.  I don't think you have achieved it.

I notice that fsnotify_create() ALSO calls audit_inode_child(...
AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE).  Surely we don't need both?

Paul, Eric: can you comment on whether AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE() should
come before permission checks, after checks but before create, or after
the create?  Or maybe several of those?
We seem to do it both before in may_create_dentry(), and after in
fsnotify_create().


Thanks,
NeilBrown



> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c | 11 ++++++-----
>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 16dcf537db87..293592a4d011 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4526,17 +4526,18 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  
>  	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
>  	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
> -		/* but break the directory lease first! */
> -		error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
> -		if (error)
> -			goto out_dput;
> -
>  		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
> +
>  		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
>  			error = -EACCES;
>  			goto out_dput;
>  		}
>  
> +		/* but break the directory lease first! */
> +		error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
> +		if (error)
> +			goto out_dput;
> +
>  		error = dir_inode->i_op->create(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
>  						mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
>  		if (error)
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 5/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move audit_inode_child() and i_op->create check to before try_break_deleg()

[Paul Moore]

On Sun, May 31, 2026 at 10:56 PM NeilBrown <neilb@ownmail.net> wrote:
>
> [Paul and Eric - question for you towards the end)
>
> On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> > Calling audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check in lookup_open()
> > take place after the try_break_deleg() call. This does not match the
> > order when doing a regular file create via mknod(2). There the call
> > order is:
> >
> >       filename_mknodat()
> >       vfs_create()
> >       may_create_dentry()
> >       audit_inode_child(dir, child, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE)
> >       i_op->create check
> >       try_break_deleg()
> >
> > In particular, audit_inode_child() is called regardless of whether
> > try_break_deleg() fails.
> >
> > Move move audit_inode_child() and the i_op->create check to before
> > try_break_deleg() in lookup_open().

Adding the audit mailing list to the CC line.  It's almost always
better to CC the list than ping folks directly as we now have the
exchange in the audit archive which makes it easier for audit folks to
find this in the future.

> I don't think this is sufficient.
> I think (and we should confirm we people who know about auditing) that
> the audit call should come before the permission check so that there is
> an audit record on failed attempts.  In that case the
> audit_inode_child() all needs to be much earlier.

As you likely already know, audit_inode_child() exists simply to
record information about the file/inode access, the audit record is
generated later (and can is dependent on other things/config).  For
that reason, yes, it's generally a good idea to call
audit_inode_child() as soon as we have the file/inode information.
Auditors want to know what the user/system attempted to do, even if
the operation failed; in some cases the log of the failed operations
are more useful than the successful ones.

> Alternately if we don't need an audit record for failed attempts - maybe
> the audit_inode(..., AUDIT_INODE_PARENT) is enough?  - then the
> audit_inde_child(..., AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE) in may_create_dentry()
> should be after the permission check.
>
> I think you are trying to make the two paths consistent.  I think that
> is a good thing.  I don't think you have achieved it.
>
> I notice that fsnotify_create() ALSO calls audit_inode_child(...
> AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE).  Surely we don't need both?
>
> Paul, Eric: can you comment on whether AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE() should
> come before permission checks, after checks but before create, or after
> the create?  Or maybe several of those?
> We seem to do it both before in may_create_dentry(), and after in
> fsnotify_create().
>
>
> Thanks,
> NeilBrown
>
> > Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> > ---
> >  fs/namei.c | 11 ++++++-----
> >  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> > index 16dcf537db87..293592a4d011 100644
> > --- a/fs/namei.c
> > +++ b/fs/namei.c
> > @@ -4526,17 +4526,18 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
> >
> >       /* Negative dentry, just create the file */
> >       if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
> > -             /* but break the directory lease first! */
> > -             error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
> > -             if (error)
> > -                     goto out_dput;
> > -
> >               audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
> > +
> >               if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
> >                       error = -EACCES;
> >                       goto out_dput;
> >               }
> >
> > +             /* but break the directory lease first! */
> > +             error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
> > +             if (error)
> > +                     goto out_dput;
> > +
> >               error = dir_inode->i_op->create(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
> >                                               mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
> >               if (error)
> > --
> > 2.54.0

-- 
paul-moore.com

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 5/9] vfs: lookup_open(): move audit_inode_child() and i_op->create check to before try_break_deleg()

[Jori Koolstra]

Hi Paul,

> Op 01-06-2026 18:27 CEST schreef Paul Moore <paul@paul-moore.com>:
> 
>  
> On Sun, May 31, 2026 at 10:56 PM NeilBrown <neilb@ownmail.net> wrote:
> >
> > I don't think this is sufficient.
> > I think (and we should confirm we people who know about auditing) that
> > the audit call should come before the permission check so that there is
> > an audit record on failed attempts.  In that case the
> > audit_inode_child() all needs to be much earlier.
> 
> As you likely already know, audit_inode_child() exists simply to
> record information about the file/inode access, the audit record is
> generated later (and can is dependent on other things/config).  For
> that reason, yes, it's generally a good idea to call
> audit_inode_child() as soon as we have the file/inode information.
> Auditors want to know what the user/system attempted to do, even if
> the operation failed; in some cases the log of the failed operations
> are more useful than the successful ones.
> 

But currently for mkdir(2), mknod(2), open(2) with O_CREAT, we are calling
audit_inode_child() twice. Once before actual creation (mostly in
may_create_dentry()), and once afterwards in fsnotify_*(). Is that the
desired behavior?

> 
> -- 
> paul-moore.com

Best,
Jori.

[RFC PATCH v6 6/9] vfs: lookup_open(): use vfs_create_no_perm()

[Jori Koolstra]

We can replace the code in the no create_error/negative dentry found
from lookup case in lookup_open() with the vfs_create_no_perm() helper.

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c | 10 ++--------
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 293592a4d011..a8c247e0bb65 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4533,17 +4533,11 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 			goto out_dput;
 		}
 
-		/* but break the directory lease first! */
-		error = try_break_deleg(dir_inode, delegated_inode);
+		error = vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, delegated_inode,
+					   open_flag & O_EXCL);
 		if (error)
 			goto out_dput;
 
-		error = dir_inode->i_op->create(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
-						mode, open_flag & O_EXCL);
-		if (error)
-			goto out_dput;
-
-		fsnotify_create(dir_inode, dentry);
 		file->f_mode |= FMODE_CREATED;
 	}
 
-- 
2.54.0

[RFC PATCH v6 7/9] vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)

[Jori Koolstra]

Currently there is no way to race-freely create and open a directory.
For regular files we have open(O_CREAT) for creating a new file inode,
and returning a pinning fd to it. The lack of such functionality for
directories means that when populating a directory tree there's always
a race involved: the inodes first need to be created, and then opened
to adjust their permissions/ownership/labels/timestamps/acls/xattrs/...,
but in the time window between the creation and the opening they might
be replaced by something else.

Addressing this race without proper APIs is possible (by immediately
fstat()ing what was opened, to verify that it has the right inode type),
but difficult to get right. Hence, adding support for a new flag combo
O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2) that creates a directory (if it does not
exist already) and returns an O_DIRECTORY fd is very useful.

Historically, the O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY behaviour was to return ENOTDIR if
a regular file exists at the open path; EISDIR if a directory exists at
the path; and to create a regular file if no file exists at the path.
This behaviour changed accidentally with 973d4b73fbaf ("do_last(): rejoin
the common path even earlier in FMODE_{OPENED,CREATED} case") causing
ENOTDIR to return in the last case while still creating the file. As
this change was not detected for a long time, Brauner proposed to adopt
the more consistent NetBSD behaviour, i.e. to return EINVAL on the the
O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY combination. This change was applied in 43b450632676
("open: return EINVAL for O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT") in March, 2023. As
the EINVAL behaviour has been in the kernel for about 3 year now, no
rollback is expected as a result of userspace reliance on old
behaviour, leaving us free to reassign the O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY semantics.

O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY is blocked in atomic_open() until individual
filesytems that support i_op->atomic_open() are given tailored support.

This feature idea (and some of its description) is taken from the
UAPI group:
https://github.com/uapi-group/kernel-features?tab=readme-ov-file#race-free-creation-and-opening-of-non-file-inodes

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/namei.c            | 94 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
 fs/open.c             | 25 +++++++-----
 include/linux/fcntl.h |  7 ++++
 3 files changed, 94 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index a8c247e0bb65..724b9de6831a 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -1377,13 +1377,12 @@ int may_linkat(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, const struct path *link)
 
 /**
  * may_create_in_sticky - Check whether an O_CREAT open in a sticky directory
- *			  should be allowed, or not, on files that already
- *			  exist.
+ *			  should be allowed, or not
  * @idmap: idmap of the mount the inode was found from
  * @nd: nameidata pathwalk data
  * @inode: the inode of the file to open
  *
- * Block an O_CREAT open of a FIFO (or a regular file) when:
+ * Block an O_CREAT open of a FIFO (or a regular file/directory) when:
  *   - sysctl_protected_fifos (or sysctl_protected_regular) is enabled
  *   - the file already exists
  *   - we are in a sticky directory
@@ -1411,6 +1410,12 @@ static int may_create_in_sticky(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct nameidata *nd,
 	if (likely(!(dir_mode & S_ISVTX)))
 		return 0;
 
+	// There is no separate sysctl for directory creation in sticky
+	// folders. Therefore, for the S_ISDIR case, disabling
+	// sysctl_protected_regular is not enough to allow creating a
+	// directory in a sticky folder, because that may suprise users
+	// not expecting that O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY is possible on newer
+	// kernels.
 	if (S_ISREG(inode->i_mode) && !sysctl_protected_regular)
 		return 0;
 
@@ -1442,6 +1447,12 @@ static int may_create_in_sticky(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct nameidata *nd,
 					      "sticky_create_regular");
 			return -EACCES;
 		}
+
+		if (sysctl_protected_regular >= 2 && S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode)) {
+			audit_log_path_denied(AUDIT_ANOM_CREAT,
+					      "sticky_create_dir");
+			return -EACCES;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -4215,7 +4226,7 @@ int vfs_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
 		return error;
 
 	if (!dir->i_op->create)
-		return -EACCES;	/* shouldn't it be ENOSYS? */
+		return -EACCES; /* shouldn't it be ENOSYS? */
 
 	mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
 	error = security_inode_create(dir, dentry, mode);
@@ -4339,21 +4350,40 @@ static inline int open_to_namei_flags(int flag)
 
 static int may_o_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
 			const struct path *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
-			umode_t mode)
+			umode_t mode, bool create_dir)
 {
-	int error = security_path_mknod(dir, dentry, mode, 0);
+	struct inode *dir_inode = dir->dentry->d_inode;
+	int error;
+
+	if (create_dir)
+		error = security_path_mkdir(dir, dentry, mode);
+	else
+		error = security_path_mknod(dir, dentry, mode, 0);
 	if (error)
 		return error;
 
 	if (!fsuidgid_has_mapping(dir->dentry->d_sb, idmap))
 		return -EOVERFLOW;
 
-	error = inode_permission(idmap, dir->dentry->d_inode,
-				 MAY_WRITE | MAY_EXEC);
+	error = inode_permission(idmap, dir_inode, MAY_WRITE | MAY_EXEC);
 	if (error)
 		return error;
 
-	return security_inode_create(dir->dentry->d_inode, dentry, mode);
+	if (create_dir)
+		error = security_inode_mkdir(dir_inode, dentry, mode);
+	else
+		error = security_inode_create(dir_inode, dentry, mode);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static inline umode_t o_create_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
+		const struct inode *dir, umode_t mode, bool create_dir)
+{
+	if (create_dir)
+		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IRWXUGO | S_ISVTX, 0);
+	else
+		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -4379,8 +4409,12 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
 
 	file->__f_path.dentry = DENTRY_NOT_SET;
 	file->__f_path.mnt = path->mnt;
-	error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
-				       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
+
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag))
+		error = EINVAL;
+	else
+		error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
+					       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
 	d_lookup_done(dentry);
 	if (!error) {
 		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
@@ -4413,6 +4447,10 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
 	return dentry;
 }
 
+static inline
+struct dentry *vfs_mkdir_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *, struct inode *,
+				 struct dentry *, umode_t,
+				 struct delegated_inode *);
 /*
  * Look up and maybe create and open the last component.
  *
@@ -4439,6 +4477,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 	struct dentry *dentry;
 	int error, create_error = 0;
 	umode_t mode = op->mode;
+	bool create_dir = O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag);
 	DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD_ONSTACK(wq);
 
 	if (unlikely(IS_DEADDIR(dir_inode)))
@@ -4487,10 +4526,10 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
 		if (open_flag & O_EXCL)
 			open_flag &= ~O_TRUNC;
-		mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir->d_inode, mode, mode, mode);
+		mode = o_create_mode(idmap, dir_inode, mode, create_dir);
 		if (likely(got_write))
 			create_error = may_o_create(idmap, &nd->path,
-						    dentry, mode);
+						    dentry, mode, create_dir);
 		else
 			create_error = -EROFS;
 	}
@@ -4527,14 +4566,26 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
 	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
 	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
 		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
-
-		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
+		if ((create_dir && !dir_inode->i_op->mkdir)
+		    || (!create_dir && !dir_inode->i_op->create)) {
 			error = -EACCES;
 			goto out_dput;
 		}
 
-		error = vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, delegated_inode,
-					   open_flag & O_EXCL);
+		if (create_dir) {
+			struct dentry *res = vfs_mkdir_no_perm(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
+							       mode, delegated_inode);
+			if (IS_ERR(res)) {
+				error = PTR_ERR(res);
+			} else {
+				error = 0;
+				dentry = res;
+			}
+		} else {
+			error = vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, delegated_inode,
+						   open_flag & O_EXCL);
+
+		}
 		if (error)
 			goto out_dput;
 
@@ -4553,7 +4604,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_fast_for_open(struct nameidata *nd, int open_flag)
 	struct dentry *dentry;
 
 	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
-		if (trailing_slashes(nd))
+		if (trailing_slashes(nd) && !(open_flag & O_DIRECTORY))
 			return ERR_PTR(-EISDIR);
 
 		/* Don't bother on an O_EXCL create */
@@ -4624,7 +4675,7 @@ static const char *open_last_lookups(struct nameidata *nd,
 		 */
 	}
 	if (open_flag & O_CREAT)
-		inode_lock(dir->d_inode);
+		inode_lock_nested(dir->d_inode, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	else
 		inode_lock_shared(dir->d_inode);
 
@@ -4687,8 +4738,9 @@ static int do_open(struct nameidata *nd,
 	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
 		if ((open_flag & O_EXCL) && !(file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED))
 			return -EEXIST;
-		if (d_is_dir(nd->path.dentry))
+		if (!(open_flag & O_DIRECTORY) && d_is_dir(nd->path.dentry))
 			return -EISDIR;
+
 		error = may_create_in_sticky(idmap, nd,
 					     d_backing_inode(nd->path.dentry));
 		if (unlikely(error))
@@ -5054,7 +5106,7 @@ struct file *dentry_create(struct path *path, int flags, umode_t mode,
 		path->dentry = dir;
 		mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir_inode, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
 
-		create_error = may_o_create(idmap, path, dentry, mode);
+		create_error = may_o_create(idmap, path, dentry, mode, /*create_dir=*/ false);
 		if (create_error)
 			flags &= ~O_CREAT;
 
diff --git a/fs/open.c b/fs/open.c
index 681d405bc61e..5cf8ada58483 100644
--- a/fs/open.c
+++ b/fs/open.c
@@ -1209,29 +1209,30 @@ inline int build_open_flags(const struct open_how *how, struct open_flags *op)
 	if (WILL_CREATE(flags)) {
 		if (how->mode & ~S_IALLUGO)
 			return -EINVAL;
-		op->mode = how->mode | S_IFREG;
+		if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+			op->mode = how->mode | S_IFDIR;
+		else
+			op->mode = how->mode | S_IFREG;
 	} else {
 		if (how->mode != 0)
 			return -EINVAL;
 		op->mode = 0;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Block bugs where O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT created regular files.
-	 * Note, that blocking O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT here also protects
-	 * O_TMPFILE below which requires O_DIRECTORY being raised.
-	 */
-	if ((flags & (O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT)) == (O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT))
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	/* Now handle the creative implementation of O_TMPFILE. */
 	if (flags & __O_TMPFILE) {
 		/*
 		 * In order to ensure programs get explicit errors when trying
 		 * to use O_TMPFILE on old kernels we enforce that O_DIRECTORY
-		 * is raised alongside __O_TMPFILE.
+		 * is raised alongside __O_TMPFILE, but without O_CREAT. The
+		 * reason for disallowing O_CREAT|O_TMPFILE is that
+		 * O_DIRECTORY|O_CREAT used to work and created a regular file
+		 * if nothing existed at the open path. Hence, allowing the
+		 * combination would have caused O_CREAT|O_TMPFILE to create a
+		 * regular (non-temporary) file on old kernels, while the caller
+		 * would believe they created an actual O_TMPFILE.
 		 */
-		if (!(flags & O_DIRECTORY))
+		if (!(flags & O_DIRECTORY) || (flags & O_CREAT))
 			return -EINVAL;
 		if (!(acc_mode & MAY_WRITE))
 			return -EINVAL;
@@ -1268,6 +1269,8 @@ inline int build_open_flags(const struct open_how *how, struct open_flags *op)
 	op->intent = flags & O_PATH ? 0 : LOOKUP_OPEN;
 
 	if (flags & O_CREAT) {
+		if ((flags & O_DIRECTORY) && (acc_mode & MAY_WRITE))
+			return -EISDIR;
 		op->intent |= LOOKUP_CREATE;
 		if (flags & O_EXCL) {
 			op->intent |= LOOKUP_EXCL;
diff --git a/include/linux/fcntl.h b/include/linux/fcntl.h
index a332e79b3207..79843e8add6e 100644
--- a/include/linux/fcntl.h
+++ b/include/linux/fcntl.h
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@
 	 FASYNC	| O_DIRECT | O_LARGEFILE | O_DIRECTORY | O_NOFOLLOW | \
 	 O_NOATIME | O_CLOEXEC | O_PATH | __O_TMPFILE)
 
+
+#define O_MKDIR_MASK	(O_CREAT | O_DIRECTORY)
+static inline bool O_IS_MKDIR(unsigned flags)
+{
+    return (flags & O_MKDIR_MASK) == O_MKDIR_MASK;
+}
+
 /* List of all valid flags for the how->resolve argument: */
 #define VALID_RESOLVE_FLAGS \
 	(RESOLVE_NO_XDEV | RESOLVE_NO_MAGICLINKS | RESOLVE_NO_SYMLINKS | \
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 7/9] vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> Currently there is no way to race-freely create and open a directory.
> For regular files we have open(O_CREAT) for creating a new file inode,
> and returning a pinning fd to it. The lack of such functionality for
> directories means that when populating a directory tree there's always
> a race involved: the inodes first need to be created, and then opened
> to adjust their permissions/ownership/labels/timestamps/acls/xattrs/...,
> but in the time window between the creation and the opening they might
> be replaced by something else.
> 
> Addressing this race without proper APIs is possible (by immediately
> fstat()ing what was opened, to verify that it has the right inode type),
> but difficult to get right. Hence, adding support for a new flag combo
> O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2) that creates a directory (if it does not
> exist already) and returns an O_DIRECTORY fd is very useful.
> 
> Historically, the O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY behaviour was to return ENOTDIR if
> a regular file exists at the open path; EISDIR if a directory exists at
> the path; and to create a regular file if no file exists at the path.
> This behaviour changed accidentally with 973d4b73fbaf ("do_last(): rejoin
> the common path even earlier in FMODE_{OPENED,CREATED} case") causing
> ENOTDIR to return in the last case while still creating the file. As
> this change was not detected for a long time, Brauner proposed to adopt
> the more consistent NetBSD behaviour, i.e. to return EINVAL on the the
> O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY combination. This change was applied in 43b450632676
> ("open: return EINVAL for O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT") in March, 2023. As
> the EINVAL behaviour has been in the kernel for about 3 year now, no
> rollback is expected as a result of userspace reliance on old
> behaviour, leaving us free to reassign the O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY semantics.
> 
> O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY is blocked in atomic_open() until individual
> filesytems that support i_op->atomic_open() are given tailored support.
> 
> This feature idea (and some of its description) is taken from the
> UAPI group:
> https://github.com/uapi-group/kernel-features?tab=readme-ov-file#race-free-creation-and-opening-of-non-file-inodes
> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/namei.c            | 94 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
>  fs/open.c             | 25 +++++++-----
>  include/linux/fcntl.h |  7 ++++
>  3 files changed, 94 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index a8c247e0bb65..724b9de6831a 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -1377,13 +1377,12 @@ int may_linkat(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, const struct path *link)
>  
>  /**
>   * may_create_in_sticky - Check whether an O_CREAT open in a sticky directory
> - *			  should be allowed, or not, on files that already
> - *			  exist.
> + *			  should be allowed, or not
>   * @idmap: idmap of the mount the inode was found from
>   * @nd: nameidata pathwalk data
>   * @inode: the inode of the file to open
>   *
> - * Block an O_CREAT open of a FIFO (or a regular file) when:
> + * Block an O_CREAT open of a FIFO (or a regular file/directory) when:
>   *   - sysctl_protected_fifos (or sysctl_protected_regular) is enabled
>   *   - the file already exists
>   *   - we are in a sticky directory
> @@ -1411,6 +1410,12 @@ static int may_create_in_sticky(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct nameidata *nd,
>  	if (likely(!(dir_mode & S_ISVTX)))
>  		return 0;
>  
> +	// There is no separate sysctl for directory creation in sticky
> +	// folders. Therefore, for the S_ISDIR case, disabling
> +	// sysctl_protected_regular is not enough to allow creating a
> +	// directory in a sticky folder, because that may suprise users
> +	// not expecting that O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY is possible on newer
> +	// kernels.
>  	if (S_ISREG(inode->i_mode) && !sysctl_protected_regular)
>  		return 0;
>  
> @@ -1442,6 +1447,12 @@ static int may_create_in_sticky(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct nameidata *nd,
>  					      "sticky_create_regular");
>  			return -EACCES;
>  		}
> +
> +		if (sysctl_protected_regular >= 2 && S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode)) {
> +			audit_log_path_denied(AUDIT_ANOM_CREAT,
> +					      "sticky_create_dir");
> +			return -EACCES;
> +		}
>  	}
>  
>  	return 0;
> @@ -4215,7 +4226,7 @@ int vfs_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode,
>  		return error;
>  
>  	if (!dir->i_op->create)
> -		return -EACCES;	/* shouldn't it be ENOSYS? */
> +		return -EACCES; /* shouldn't it be ENOSYS? */

You've changed a TAB to a SPACE here.  You probably didn't mean to.

>  
>  	mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
>  	error = security_inode_create(dir, dentry, mode);
> @@ -4339,21 +4350,40 @@ static inline int open_to_namei_flags(int flag)
>  
>  static int may_o_create(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
>  			const struct path *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
> -			umode_t mode)
> +			umode_t mode, bool create_dir)
>  {
> -	int error = security_path_mknod(dir, dentry, mode, 0);
> +	struct inode *dir_inode = dir->dentry->d_inode;
> +	int error;
> +
> +	if (create_dir)
> +		error = security_path_mkdir(dir, dentry, mode);
> +	else
> +		error = security_path_mknod(dir, dentry, mode, 0);
>  	if (error)
>  		return error;
>  
>  	if (!fsuidgid_has_mapping(dir->dentry->d_sb, idmap))
>  		return -EOVERFLOW;
>  
> -	error = inode_permission(idmap, dir->dentry->d_inode,
> -				 MAY_WRITE | MAY_EXEC);
> +	error = inode_permission(idmap, dir_inode, MAY_WRITE | MAY_EXEC);
>  	if (error)
>  		return error;
>  
> -	return security_inode_create(dir->dentry->d_inode, dentry, mode);
> +	if (create_dir)
> +		error = security_inode_mkdir(dir_inode, dentry, mode);
> +	else
> +		error = security_inode_create(dir_inode, dentry, mode);
> +
> +	return error;
> +}
> +
> +static inline umode_t o_create_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
> +		const struct inode *dir, umode_t mode, bool create_dir)
> +{
> +	if (create_dir)
> +		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IRWXUGO | S_ISVTX, 0);
> +	else
> +		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);

I still don't see a justification for different permission masks.
There should be a comment explaining why there is a difference, though
I'm not convinced a difference is needed.

>  }
>  
>  /*
> @@ -4379,8 +4409,12 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
>  
>  	file->__f_path.dentry = DENTRY_NOT_SET;
>  	file->__f_path.mnt = path->mnt;
> -	error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> -				       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
> +
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag))
> +		error = EINVAL;
> +	else
> +		error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> +					       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
>  	d_lookup_done(dentry);
>  	if (!error) {
>  		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
> @@ -4413,6 +4447,10 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
>  	return dentry;
>  }
>  
> +static inline
> +struct dentry *vfs_mkdir_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *, struct inode *,
> +				 struct dentry *, umode_t,
> +				 struct delegated_inode *);

forward declaration aren't ideal...  This is a new function that you
introduced.  Could you place it earlier when you introduce it?

>  /*
>   * Look up and maybe create and open the last component.
>   *
> @@ -4439,6 +4477,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  	struct dentry *dentry;
>  	int error, create_error = 0;
>  	umode_t mode = op->mode;
> +	bool create_dir = O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag);
>  	DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD_ONSTACK(wq);
>  
>  	if (unlikely(IS_DEADDIR(dir_inode)))
> @@ -4487,10 +4526,10 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
>  		if (open_flag & O_EXCL)
>  			open_flag &= ~O_TRUNC;
> -		mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir->d_inode, mode, mode, mode);
> +		mode = o_create_mode(idmap, dir_inode, mode, create_dir);
>  		if (likely(got_write))
>  			create_error = may_o_create(idmap, &nd->path,
> -						    dentry, mode);
> +						    dentry, mode, create_dir);
>  		else
>  			create_error = -EROFS;
>  	}
> @@ -4527,14 +4566,26 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_open(struct nameidata *nd, struct file *file,
>  	/* Negative dentry, just create the file */
>  	if (!dentry->d_inode && (open_flag & O_CREAT)) {
>  		audit_inode_child(dir_inode, dentry, AUDIT_TYPE_CHILD_CREATE);
> -
> -		if (!dir_inode->i_op->create) {
> +		if ((create_dir && !dir_inode->i_op->mkdir)
> +		    || (!create_dir && !dir_inode->i_op->create)) {
>  			error = -EACCES;
>  			goto out_dput;
>  		}
>  
> -		error = vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, delegated_inode,
> -					   open_flag & O_EXCL);
> +		if (create_dir) {
> +			struct dentry *res = vfs_mkdir_no_perm(idmap, dir_inode, dentry,
> +							       mode, delegated_inode);
> +			if (IS_ERR(res)) {
> +				error = PTR_ERR(res);
> +			} else {
> +				error = 0;
> +				dentry = res;
> +			}
> +		} else {
> +			error = vfs_create_no_perm(idmap, dentry, mode, delegated_inode,
> +						   open_flag & O_EXCL);
> +
> +		}
>  		if (error)
>  			goto out_dput;
>  
> @@ -4553,7 +4604,7 @@ static struct dentry *lookup_fast_for_open(struct nameidata *nd, int open_flag)
>  	struct dentry *dentry;
>  
>  	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
> -		if (trailing_slashes(nd))
> +		if (trailing_slashes(nd) && !(open_flag & O_DIRECTORY))
>  			return ERR_PTR(-EISDIR);
>  
>  		/* Don't bother on an O_EXCL create */
> @@ -4624,7 +4675,7 @@ static const char *open_last_lookups(struct nameidata *nd,
>  		 */
>  	}
>  	if (open_flag & O_CREAT)
> -		inode_lock(dir->d_inode);
> +		inode_lock_nested(dir->d_inode, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
>  	else
>  		inode_lock_shared(dir->d_inode);
>  
> @@ -4687,8 +4738,9 @@ static int do_open(struct nameidata *nd,
>  	if (open_flag & O_CREAT) {
>  		if ((open_flag & O_EXCL) && !(file->f_mode & FMODE_CREATED))
>  			return -EEXIST;
> -		if (d_is_dir(nd->path.dentry))
> +		if (!(open_flag & O_DIRECTORY) && d_is_dir(nd->path.dentry))
>  			return -EISDIR;
> +
>  		error = may_create_in_sticky(idmap, nd,
>  					     d_backing_inode(nd->path.dentry));
>  		if (unlikely(error))
> @@ -5054,7 +5106,7 @@ struct file *dentry_create(struct path *path, int flags, umode_t mode,
>  		path->dentry = dir;
>  		mode = vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir_inode, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
>  
> -		create_error = may_o_create(idmap, path, dentry, mode);
> +		create_error = may_o_create(idmap, path, dentry, mode, /*create_dir=*/ false);

I don't really like this construct for passing bools, but if no-one else
complains I guess I won't.

>  		if (create_error)
>  			flags &= ~O_CREAT;
>  
> diff --git a/fs/open.c b/fs/open.c
> index 681d405bc61e..5cf8ada58483 100644
> --- a/fs/open.c
> +++ b/fs/open.c
> @@ -1209,29 +1209,30 @@ inline int build_open_flags(const struct open_how *how, struct open_flags *op)
>  	if (WILL_CREATE(flags)) {
>  		if (how->mode & ~S_IALLUGO)
>  			return -EINVAL;
> -		op->mode = how->mode | S_IFREG;
> +		if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +			op->mode = how->mode | S_IFDIR;
> +		else
> +			op->mode = how->mode | S_IFREG;
>  	} else {
>  		if (how->mode != 0)
>  			return -EINVAL;
>  		op->mode = 0;
>  	}
>  
> -	/*
> -	 * Block bugs where O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT created regular files.
> -	 * Note, that blocking O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT here also protects
> -	 * O_TMPFILE below which requires O_DIRECTORY being raised.
> -	 */
> -	if ((flags & (O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT)) == (O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT))
> -		return -EINVAL;
> -
>  	/* Now handle the creative implementation of O_TMPFILE. */
>  	if (flags & __O_TMPFILE) {
>  		/*
>  		 * In order to ensure programs get explicit errors when trying
>  		 * to use O_TMPFILE on old kernels we enforce that O_DIRECTORY
> -		 * is raised alongside __O_TMPFILE.
> +		 * is raised alongside __O_TMPFILE, but without O_CREAT. The
> +		 * reason for disallowing O_CREAT|O_TMPFILE is that
> +		 * O_DIRECTORY|O_CREAT used to work and created a regular file
> +		 * if nothing existed at the open path. Hence, allowing the
> +		 * combination would have caused O_CREAT|O_TMPFILE to create a
> +		 * regular (non-temporary) file on old kernels, while the caller
> +		 * would believe they created an actual O_TMPFILE.
>  		 */
> -		if (!(flags & O_DIRECTORY))
> +		if (!(flags & O_DIRECTORY) || (flags & O_CREAT))
>  			return -EINVAL;
>  		if (!(acc_mode & MAY_WRITE))
>  			return -EINVAL;
> @@ -1268,6 +1269,8 @@ inline int build_open_flags(const struct open_how *how, struct open_flags *op)
>  	op->intent = flags & O_PATH ? 0 : LOOKUP_OPEN;
>  
>  	if (flags & O_CREAT) {
> +		if ((flags & O_DIRECTORY) && (acc_mode & MAY_WRITE))
> +			return -EISDIR;
>  		op->intent |= LOOKUP_CREATE;
>  		if (flags & O_EXCL) {
>  			op->intent |= LOOKUP_EXCL;
> diff --git a/include/linux/fcntl.h b/include/linux/fcntl.h
> index a332e79b3207..79843e8add6e 100644
> --- a/include/linux/fcntl.h
> +++ b/include/linux/fcntl.h
> @@ -12,6 +12,13 @@
>  	 FASYNC	| O_DIRECT | O_LARGEFILE | O_DIRECTORY | O_NOFOLLOW | \
>  	 O_NOATIME | O_CLOEXEC | O_PATH | __O_TMPFILE)
>  
> +
> +#define O_MKDIR_MASK	(O_CREAT | O_DIRECTORY)
> +static inline bool O_IS_MKDIR(unsigned flags)
> +{
> +    return (flags & O_MKDIR_MASK) == O_MKDIR_MASK;
> +}
> +
>  /* List of all valid flags for the how->resolve argument: */
>  #define VALID_RESOLVE_FLAGS \
>  	(RESOLVE_NO_XDEV | RESOLVE_NO_MAGICLINKS | RESOLVE_NO_SYMLINKS | \
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

Mostly looks good thanks - and is definitely easier to read with all the
other stuff factored out into other patches.

NeilBrown

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 7/9] vfs: add O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY to open*(2)

[Jori Koolstra]

> Op 01-06-2026 05:16 CEST schreef NeilBrown <neilb@ownmail.net>:
> > +
> > +static inline umode_t o_create_mode(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
> > +		const struct inode *dir, umode_t mode, bool create_dir)
> > +{
> > +	if (create_dir)
> > +		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IRWXUGO | S_ISVTX, 0);
> > +	else
> > +		return vfs_prepare_mode(idmap, dir, mode, S_IALLUGO, S_IFREG);
> 
> I still don't see a justification for different permission masks.
> There should be a comment explaining why there is a difference, though
> I'm not convinced a difference is needed.
> 

I just copied current semantics from vfs_mkdir() and vfs_create().

Let me add what you wrote before here for context:

> It isn't clear the purpose of this.
> In the create_dir case, shouldn't we pass S_IFDIR as the last arg: type?
> 

Yes, you are correct. This is being handled separately.[1] (I know you know
that, but let me add this to provide context for other readers).

> The difference between "S_IRWXUGO | S_ISVTX" and "S_IALLUGO" is not
> immediately obvious, but the former excludes S_ISUID and S_ISGID.
> The setuid bit is meaningless on directories so there is little point in
> stripping it, but I don't object as long as the intent is documented
> here.
> The setgid bit is meaningful but vfs_prepare_mode() seems to already
> handle it correctly for directories if you pass the type as S_IFDIR.

mode_strip_sgid() is just for regular files and is a noop when passed
a S_IFDIR. So I am not quite sure what you mean.

Apparenly, mkdir(2) cannot enable the setgid bit itself. This has been the
case since the initial git commit, which contains:

+       mode &= (S_IRWXUGO|S_ISVTX);
+       error = security_inode_mkdir(dir, dentry, mode);
+       if (error)
+               return error;
+
+       DQUOT_INIT(dir);
+       error = dir->i_op->mkdir(dir, dentry, mode);

I am not sure why.

@Al, you have been around for a long time? Do you know why mkdir(2) cannot
enable the setgid bit?

> If you have a good reason to impose different handling here, that might
> be sensible, but it should be documented.


> >  }
> >  
> >  /*
> > @@ -4379,8 +4409,12 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
> >  
> >  	file->__f_path.dentry = DENTRY_NOT_SET;
> >  	file->__f_path.mnt = path->mnt;
> > -	error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> > -				       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
> > +
> > +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag))
> > +		error = EINVAL;
> > +	else
> > +		error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> > +					       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
> >  	d_lookup_done(dentry);
> >  	if (!error) {
> >  		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
> > @@ -4413,6 +4447,10 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
> >  	return dentry;
> >  }
> >  
> > +static inline
> > +struct dentry *vfs_mkdir_no_perm(struct mnt_idmap *, struct inode *,
> > +				 struct dentry *, umode_t,
> > +				 struct delegated_inode *);
> 
> forward declaration aren't ideal...  This is a new function that you
> introduced.  Could you place it earlier when you introduce it?
> 

I wanted to keep vfs_mkdir_no_perm() close to vfs_mkdir(). But I can
live with moving it.

Thanks,
Jori.

[RFC PATCH v6 8/9] vfs: move O_IS_MKDIR check out atomic_open() to individual filesystems

[Jori Koolstra]

Individual filesystems need to get the chance to implement
O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY or not, rather than decide this at the VFS level in
atomic_open().

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 fs/9p/vfs_inode.c      | 3 +++
 fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c | 3 +++
 fs/ceph/file.c         | 3 +++
 fs/fuse/dir.c          | 3 +++
 fs/gfs2/inode.c        | 3 +++
 fs/namei.c             | 8 ++------
 fs/nfs/dir.c           | 3 +++
 fs/nfs/file.c          | 3 +++
 fs/smb/client/dir.c    | 3 +++
 fs/vboxsf/dir.c        | 3 +++
 10 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
index f468acb8ee7d..8eff9320aa8a 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
@@ -771,6 +771,9 @@ v9fs_vfs_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	struct inode *inode;
 	int p9_omode;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
 		struct dentry *res = v9fs_vfs_lookup(dir, dentry, 0);
 		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
index 141fb54db65d..9a63ae0f3b58 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
@@ -239,6 +239,9 @@ v9fs_vfs_atomic_open_dotl(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses;
 	struct posix_acl *pacl = NULL, *dacl = NULL;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
 		struct dentry *res = v9fs_vfs_lookup(dir, dentry, 0);
 		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
diff --git a/fs/ceph/file.c b/fs/ceph/file.c
index d54d71669176..a82a711a86e6 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/file.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/file.c
@@ -813,6 +813,9 @@ int ceph_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	if (dentry->d_name.len > NAME_MAX)
 		return -ENAMETOOLONG;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	err = ceph_wait_on_conflict_unlink(dentry);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
diff --git a/fs/fuse/dir.c b/fs/fuse/dir.c
index b658b6baf72f..58f3310f828f 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/dir.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/dir.c
@@ -940,6 +940,9 @@ static int fuse_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *entry,
 	if (fuse_is_bad(dir))
 		return -EIO;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (d_in_lookup(entry)) {
 		struct dentry *res = fuse_lookup(dir, entry, 0);
 		if (res || d_really_is_positive(entry))
diff --git a/fs/gfs2/inode.c b/fs/gfs2/inode.c
index e9bf4879c07f..df66ac2d0c15 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/inode.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/inode.c
@@ -1384,6 +1384,9 @@ static int gfs2_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 {
 	bool excl = !!(flags & O_EXCL);
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
 		struct dentry *d = __gfs2_lookup(dir, dentry, file);
 		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 724b9de6831a..6cc3d42dc1a5 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4409,12 +4409,8 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
 
 	file->__f_path.dentry = DENTRY_NOT_SET;
 	file->__f_path.mnt = path->mnt;
-
-	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag))
-		error = EINVAL;
-	else
-		error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
-					       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
+	error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
+				       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
 	d_lookup_done(dentry);
 	if (!error) {
 		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
diff --git a/fs/nfs/dir.c b/fs/nfs/dir.c
index e9ce1883288c..cbbc61788d0e 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/dir.c
@@ -2314,6 +2314,9 @@ int nfs_atomic_open_v23(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	if (dentry->d_name.len > NFS_SERVER(dir)->namelen)
 		return -ENAMETOOLONG;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (open_flags & O_CREAT) {
 		error = nfs_do_create(dir, dentry, mode, open_flags);
 		if (!error) {
diff --git a/fs/nfs/file.c b/fs/nfs/file.c
index 25048a3c2364..b885d8facaf5 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/file.c
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ int nfs_check_flags(int flags)
 	if ((flags & (O_APPEND | O_DIRECT)) == (O_APPEND | O_DIRECT))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nfs_check_flags);
diff --git a/fs/smb/client/dir.c b/fs/smb/client/dir.c
index e4295a5b55b3..b282753713d6 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/dir.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/dir.c
@@ -526,6 +526,9 @@ int cifs_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *direntry,
 	if (unlikely(cifs_forced_shutdown(cifs_sb)))
 		return smb_EIO(smb_eio_trace_forced_shutdown);
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(oflags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Posix open is only called (at lookup time) for file create now. For
 	 * opens (rather than creates), because we do not know if it is a file
diff --git a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
index 42bedc4ec7af..cc999c1ab7cf 100644
--- a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
+++ b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ static int vboxsf_dir_atomic_open(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
 	u64 handle;
 	int err;
 
+	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
 		struct dentry *res = vboxsf_dir_lookup(parent, dentry, 0);
 		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [RFC PATCH v6 8/9] vfs: move O_IS_MKDIR check out atomic_open() to individual filesystems

[NeilBrown]

On Mon, 01 Jun 2026, Jori Koolstra wrote:
> Individual filesystems need to get the chance to implement
> O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY or not, rather than decide this at the VFS level in
> atomic_open().
> 
> Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
> ---
>  fs/9p/vfs_inode.c      | 3 +++
>  fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c | 3 +++
>  fs/ceph/file.c         | 3 +++
>  fs/fuse/dir.c          | 3 +++
>  fs/gfs2/inode.c        | 3 +++
>  fs/namei.c             | 8 ++------
>  fs/nfs/dir.c           | 3 +++
>  fs/nfs/file.c          | 3 +++
>  fs/smb/client/dir.c    | 3 +++
>  fs/vboxsf/dir.c        | 3 +++
>  10 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
> index f468acb8ee7d..8eff9320aa8a 100644
> --- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
> +++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
> @@ -771,6 +771,9 @@ v9fs_vfs_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
>  	struct inode *inode;
>  	int p9_omode;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
>  		struct dentry *res = v9fs_vfs_lookup(dir, dentry, 0);
>  		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
> diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
> index 141fb54db65d..9a63ae0f3b58 100644
> --- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
> +++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
> @@ -239,6 +239,9 @@ v9fs_vfs_atomic_open_dotl(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
>  	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses;
>  	struct posix_acl *pacl = NULL, *dacl = NULL;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
>  		struct dentry *res = v9fs_vfs_lookup(dir, dentry, 0);
>  		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
> diff --git a/fs/ceph/file.c b/fs/ceph/file.c
> index d54d71669176..a82a711a86e6 100644
> --- a/fs/ceph/file.c
> +++ b/fs/ceph/file.c
> @@ -813,6 +813,9 @@ int ceph_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
>  	if (dentry->d_name.len > NAME_MAX)
>  		return -ENAMETOOLONG;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	err = ceph_wait_on_conflict_unlink(dentry);
>  	if (err)
>  		return err;
> diff --git a/fs/fuse/dir.c b/fs/fuse/dir.c
> index b658b6baf72f..58f3310f828f 100644
> --- a/fs/fuse/dir.c
> +++ b/fs/fuse/dir.c
> @@ -940,6 +940,9 @@ static int fuse_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *entry,
>  	if (fuse_is_bad(dir))
>  		return -EIO;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	if (d_in_lookup(entry)) {
>  		struct dentry *res = fuse_lookup(dir, entry, 0);
>  		if (res || d_really_is_positive(entry))
> diff --git a/fs/gfs2/inode.c b/fs/gfs2/inode.c
> index e9bf4879c07f..df66ac2d0c15 100644
> --- a/fs/gfs2/inode.c
> +++ b/fs/gfs2/inode.c
> @@ -1384,6 +1384,9 @@ static int gfs2_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
>  {
>  	bool excl = !!(flags & O_EXCL);
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
>  		struct dentry *d = __gfs2_lookup(dir, dentry, file);
>  		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 724b9de6831a..6cc3d42dc1a5 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -4409,12 +4409,8 @@ static struct dentry *atomic_open(const struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry
>  
>  	file->__f_path.dentry = DENTRY_NOT_SET;
>  	file->__f_path.mnt = path->mnt;
> -
> -	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flag))
> -		error = EINVAL;
> -	else
> -		error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> -					       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
> +	error = dir->i_op->atomic_open(dir, dentry, file,
> +				       open_to_namei_flags(open_flag), mode);
>  	d_lookup_done(dentry);
>  	if (!error) {
>  		if (file->f_mode & FMODE_OPENED) {
> diff --git a/fs/nfs/dir.c b/fs/nfs/dir.c
> index e9ce1883288c..cbbc61788d0e 100644
> --- a/fs/nfs/dir.c
> +++ b/fs/nfs/dir.c
> @@ -2314,6 +2314,9 @@ int nfs_atomic_open_v23(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
>  	if (dentry->d_name.len > NFS_SERVER(dir)->namelen)
>  		return -ENAMETOOLONG;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(open_flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +

Maybe this should use nfs_check_flags() ?

But either way:
 Reviewed-by: NeilBrown <neil@brown.name>

Thanks,
NeilBrown


>  	if (open_flags & O_CREAT) {
>  		error = nfs_do_create(dir, dentry, mode, open_flags);
>  		if (!error) {
> diff --git a/fs/nfs/file.c b/fs/nfs/file.c
> index 25048a3c2364..b885d8facaf5 100644
> --- a/fs/nfs/file.c
> +++ b/fs/nfs/file.c
> @@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ int nfs_check_flags(int flags)
>  	if ((flags & (O_APPEND | O_DIRECT)) == (O_APPEND | O_DIRECT))
>  		return -EINVAL;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nfs_check_flags);
> diff --git a/fs/smb/client/dir.c b/fs/smb/client/dir.c
> index e4295a5b55b3..b282753713d6 100644
> --- a/fs/smb/client/dir.c
> +++ b/fs/smb/client/dir.c
> @@ -526,6 +526,9 @@ int cifs_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *direntry,
>  	if (unlikely(cifs_forced_shutdown(cifs_sb)))
>  		return smb_EIO(smb_eio_trace_forced_shutdown);
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(oflags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	/*
>  	 * Posix open is only called (at lookup time) for file create now. For
>  	 * opens (rather than creates), because we do not know if it is a file
> diff --git a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
> index 42bedc4ec7af..cc999c1ab7cf 100644
> --- a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
> +++ b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
> @@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ static int vboxsf_dir_atomic_open(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
>  	u64 handle;
>  	int err;
>  
> +	if (O_IS_MKDIR(flags))
> +		return -EINVAL;
> +
>  	if (d_in_lookup(dentry)) {
>  		struct dentry *res = vboxsf_dir_lookup(parent, dentry, 0);
>  		if (res || d_really_is_positive(dentry))
> -- 
> 2.54.0
> 
> 

[RFC PATCH v6 9/9] selftest: add tests for open*(O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY)

[Jori Koolstra]

Add some tests for the new valid O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY flag combination for
open*(2) to test compliance and to showcase its behaviour.

Signed-off-by: Jori Koolstra <jkoolstra@xs4all.nl>
---
 .../testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore  |   1 +
 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile  |   4 +-
 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c   |   1 +
 .../filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c          | 197 ++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 201 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore
index 64ac0dfa46b7..f257b3ddb479 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+open_o_creat_o_dir
 dnotify_test
 devpts_pts
 fclog
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile
index 85427d7f19b9..ec7f93b700d2 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 
-CFLAGS += $(KHDR_INCLUDES)
-TEST_GEN_PROGS := devpts_pts file_stressor anon_inode_test kernfs_test fclog
+CFLAGS += $(KHDR_INCLUDES) $(TOOLS_INCLUDES)
+TEST_GEN_PROGS := open_o_creat_o_dir devpts_pts file_stressor anon_inode_test kernfs_test fclog
 TEST_GEN_PROGS_EXTENDED := dnotify_test
 
 include ../lib.mk
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c
index 551c4a0f395a..33ed59286a2d 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/fclog.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * Copyright (C) 2025 SUSE LLC.
  */
 
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sched.h>
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..03b5edcffeef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/filesystems/open_o_creat_o_dir.c
@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <sys/syscall.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+
+#include "kselftest_harness.h"
+
+static inline int open_o_creat_o_dir(int dfd, const char *pathname,
+				     mode_t mode, unsigned int flags)
+{
+	return syscall(__NR_openat, dfd, pathname,
+		       flags | O_DIRECTORY | O_CREAT, mode);
+}
+
+#define open_o_creat_o_dir_checked_flags(dfd, pathname, flags) ({	\
+	struct stat __st;						\
+	int __fd = open_o_creat_o_dir(dfd, pathname, S_IRWXU, flags);	\
+	ASSERT_GE(__fd, 0);						\
+	ASSERT_EQ(fstat(__fd, &__st), 0);				\
+	EXPECT_TRUE(S_ISDIR(__st.st_mode));				\
+	__fd;								\
+})
+
+#define open_o_creat_o_dir_checked(dfd, pathname) \
+	open_o_creat_o_dir_checked_flags(dfd, pathname, 0)
+
+FIXTURE(open_o_creat_o_dir) {
+	char dirpath[PATH_MAX];
+	int dfd;
+};
+
+FIXTURE_SETUP(open_o_creat_o_dir)
+{
+	strcpy(self->dirpath, "/tmp/open_o_creat_o_dir_test.XXXXXX");
+	ASSERT_NE(mkdtemp(self->dirpath), NULL);
+	self->dfd = open(self->dirpath, O_DIRECTORY);
+	ASSERT_GE(self->dfd, 0);
+}
+
+FIXTURE_TEARDOWN(open_o_creat_o_dir)
+{
+	close(self->dfd);
+	rmdir(self->dirpath);
+}
+
+/* Does open_o_creat_o_dir return a fd at all? */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, returns_fd)
+{
+	int fd = open_o_creat_o_dir_checked(self->dfd, "newdir");
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(fd), 0);
+	EXPECT_EQ(unlinkat(self->dfd, "newdir", AT_REMOVEDIR), 0);
+}
+
+/* The fd must refer to the directory that was just created. */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, fd_is_created_dir)
+{
+	int fd;
+	struct stat st_via_fd, st_via_path;
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+
+	fd = open_o_creat_o_dir_checked(self->dfd, "checkdir");
+
+	ASSERT_EQ(fstat(fd, &st_via_fd), 0);
+
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/checkdir", self->dirpath);
+	ASSERT_EQ(stat(path, &st_via_path), 0);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(st_via_fd.st_ino, st_via_path.st_ino);
+	EXPECT_EQ(st_via_fd.st_dev, st_via_path.st_dev);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(fd), 0);
+	EXPECT_EQ(rmdir(path), 0);
+}
+
+/* Missing parent component must fail with ENOENT. */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, enoent_missing_parent)
+{
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(self->dfd, "nonexistent/child", S_IRWXU, 0), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, ENOENT);
+}
+
+/* An invalid dfd must fail with EBADF. */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, ebadf)
+{
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(-42, "badfdir", S_IRWXU, 0), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, EBADF);
+}
+
+/* A dfd that points to a file (not a directory) must fail with ENOTDIR. */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, enotdir_dfd)
+{
+	int file_fd;
+
+	file_fd = openat(self->dfd, "file",
+			 O_CREAT | O_WRONLY, S_IRWXU);
+	ASSERT_GE(file_fd, 0);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(file_fd, "subdir", S_IRWXU, 0), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, ENOTDIR);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(file_fd), 0);
+	EXPECT_EQ(unlinkat(self->dfd, "file", 0), 0);
+}
+
+/*
+ * O_EXCL together with O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY must fail with EEXIST when
+ * the target directory already exists.
+ */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, o_excl_eexist)
+{
+	int fd;
+
+	fd = open_o_creat_o_dir_checked_flags(self->dfd, "excldir", O_EXCL);
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(fd), 0);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(self->dfd, "excldir", S_IRWXU, O_EXCL), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, EEXIST);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(unlinkat(self->dfd, "excldir", AT_REMOVEDIR), 0);
+}
+
+/*
+ * O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY on a path that already exists as a regular file
+ * must fail with ENOTDIR.
+ */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, existing_file_enotdir)
+{
+	int file_fd;
+
+	file_fd = openat(self->dfd, "regfile",
+			 O_CREAT | O_WRONLY, S_IRWXU);
+	ASSERT_GE(file_fd, 0);
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(file_fd), 0);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(self->dfd, "regfile", S_IRWXU, 0), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, ENOTDIR);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(unlinkat(self->dfd, "regfile", 0), 0);
+}
+
+/*
+ * O_CREAT|O_DIRECTORY combined with a writable access mode must be
+ * rejected: a directory cannot be opened for writing.
+ */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, rejects_writable_acc_mode)
+{
+	EXPECT_EQ(open_o_creat_o_dir(self->dfd, "rdwrdir", S_IRWXU, O_RDWR), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, EISDIR);
+	/* Clean up if the kernel created the directory anyway. */
+	unlinkat(self->dfd, "rdwrdir", AT_REMOVEDIR);
+}
+
+/*
+ * openat(O_CREAT) with a trailing slash but without O_DIRECTORY
+ * must fail with EISDIR and must not create anything at the path.
+ */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, trailing_slash_no_o_dir)
+{
+	int fd;
+	struct stat st;
+
+	fd = openat(self->dfd, "trailing/", O_CREAT | O_WRONLY, S_IRWXU);
+	EXPECT_EQ(fd, -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, EISDIR);
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(fstatat(self->dfd, "trailing", &st, 0), -1);
+	EXPECT_EQ(errno, ENOENT);
+
+	/* Best-effort cleanup in case the kernel left a file behind. */
+	if (fd >= 0)
+		close(fd);
+	unlinkat(self->dfd, "trailing", 0);
+}
+
+/*
+ * The returned fd must be usable as a dfd for further *at() calls.
+ */
+TEST_F(open_o_creat_o_dir, fd_usable_as_dfd)
+{
+	int parent_fd, child_fd;
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+
+	parent_fd = open_o_creat_o_dir_checked(self->dfd, "parent");
+	child_fd = open_o_creat_o_dir_checked(parent_fd, "child");
+
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(child_fd), 0);
+	EXPECT_EQ(close(parent_fd), 0);
+
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/parent/child", self->dirpath);
+	EXPECT_EQ(rmdir(path), 0);
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/parent", self->dirpath);
+	EXPECT_EQ(rmdir(path), 0);
+}
+
+TEST_HARNESS_MAIN
-- 
2.54.0