[PATCH 0/2] Fix ELF image linking into PBL

[PATCH 0/2] Fix ELF image linking into PBL

[Sascha Hauer]

On ARM and RiscV we now link an ELF image into the PBL. With this PBL
and barebox proper might disagree where the barebox image has been
placed resulting in the malloc area overlapping the barebox image.

Signed-off-by: Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>
---
Sascha Hauer (2):
      ARM: fix wrong calculation of barebox base
      riscv: fix wrong calculation of barebox base

 arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h     | 4 ++++
 arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h | 4 ++++
 2 files changed, 8 insertions(+)
---
base-commit: f4da708a0ba2d8489832900b37343ac63dce16f0
change-id: 20260513-pbl-elf-fixes-f400f6c9546b

Best regards,
-- 
Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>

[PATCH 1/2] ARM: fix wrong calculation of barebox base

[Sascha Hauer]

We assumed that barebox_image_size matches the size of the uncompressed
barebox proper binary. This was true until dbbca16895, but since then
the uncompressed length of the barebox proper binary includes the ELF
header whereas barebox_image_size does not. With this it can happen
that barebox_base is calculated too high resulting in the malloc area
overlapping the barebox image. For now fix that by using the real
barebox base address from the __image_start linker variable.

Fixes: dbbca16895 ("ARM: link ELF image into PBL")
Signed-off-by: Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>
---
 arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
index 99f8231194..611b2bb2d6 100644
--- a/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
@@ -194,11 +194,15 @@ static inline unsigned long arm_mem_barebox_image(unsigned long membase,
 						  unsigned long uncompressed_len,
 						  const struct handoff_data *handoff_data)
 {
+#ifdef __PBL__
 	unsigned long size = uncompressed_len + MAX_BSS_SIZE + __handoff_data_size(handoff_data);
 
 	endmem = arm_mem_ramoops(endmem);
 
 	return ALIGN_DOWN(endmem - size, SZ_1M);
+#else
+	return (unsigned long)__image_start;
+#endif
 }
 
 /*

-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH 2/2] riscv: fix wrong calculation of barebox base

[Sascha Hauer]

We assumed that barebox_image_size matches the size of the uncompressed
barebox proper binary. This was true until ec8b2ce7c2, but since then
the uncompressed length of the barebox proper binary includes the ELF
header whereas barebox_image_size does not. With this it can happen
that barebox_base is calculated too high resulting in the malloc area
overlapping the barebox image. For now fix that by using the real
barebox base address from the __image_start linker variable.

Fixes: ec8b2ce7c2 ("riscv: link ELF image into PBL")
Signed-off-by: Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>
---
 arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h b/arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h
index db6ff0ea71..083889817b 100644
--- a/arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h
+++ b/arch/riscv/include/asm/barebox-riscv.h
@@ -79,9 +79,13 @@ static inline unsigned long riscv_mem_barebox_image(unsigned long membase,
 						    unsigned long endmem,
 						    unsigned long size)
 {
+#ifdef __PBL__
 	endmem = riscv_mem_ramoops(membase, endmem);
 
 	return ALIGN_DOWN(endmem - size, SZ_1M);
+#else
+	return (unsigned long)__image_start;
+#endif
 }
 
 #define ENTRY_FUNCTION(name, arg0, arg1, arg2)                          \

-- 
2.47.3

Re: [PATCH 0/2] Fix ELF image linking into PBL

[Sascha Hauer]

On Wed, 13 May 2026 15:57:57 +0200, Sascha Hauer wrote:
> On ARM and RiscV we now link an ELF image into the PBL. With this PBL
> and barebox proper might disagree where the barebox image has been
> placed resulting in the malloc area overlapping the barebox image.
> 
> 

Applied, thanks!

[1/2] ARM: fix wrong calculation of barebox base
      https://git.pengutronix.de/cgit/barebox/commit/?id=3ef8ba6540ef (link may not be stable)
[2/2] riscv: fix wrong calculation of barebox base
      https://git.pengutronix.de/cgit/barebox/commit/?id=122f440c6b2f (link may not be stable)

Best regards,
-- 
Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@pengutronix.de>