* [PATCH v3 01/12] efi: treat EFI zboot Linux images like other EFI-stubbed kernels
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 02/12] commands: devlookup: honour global.bootm.root_param for -k Ahmad Fatoum
` (10 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
From: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
Linux kernels built with CONFIG_EFI_ZBOOT are EFI applications that
decompress the actual kernel and hand it to the EFI stub. They carry
"zimg" at offset 4 and LINUX_PE_MAGIC at offset 0x38, but none of the
architecture-specific magics barebox looks for, so they have been
detected as plain MS-DOS executables so far.
bootm thus started them like any other EFI application: The Linux
bootargs weren't passed as load options and, as EFI payload, barebox
provided neither initrd nor device tree and didn't shut itself down.
Let's add a filetype for them, count it as Linux EFI image and register
image handlers and a binfmt hook, so they are booted the same way as the
EFI-stubbed kernels barebox already knows.
Tested with an arm64 Linux v7.2 zboot kernel and initrd on barebox as
EFI loader and as EFI payload running on top of it.
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5.5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
---
common/filetype.c | 5 ++++-
efi/loader/bootm.c | 7 +++++++
efi/payload/bootm.c | 7 +++++++
efi/payload/image.c | 6 ++++++
include/filetype.h | 8 ++++++++
5 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/common/filetype.c b/common/filetype.c
index a25be6e2fc7e..439f0529be69 100644
--- a/common/filetype.c
+++ b/common/filetype.c
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ static const struct filetype_str filetype_str[] = {
[filetype_x86_linux_image] = { "x86 Linux image", "x86-linux" },
[filetype_x86_efi_linux_image] = { "x86 Linux/EFI image", "x86-efi-linux" },
[filetype_pxa_ntim] = { "Marvell PXA3xx NTIM image", "pxa-ntim" },
+ [filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image] = { "Linux/EFI zboot image", "zboot-efi-linux" },
};
static const char *file_type_to_nr_string(enum filetype f)
@@ -460,7 +461,8 @@ enum filetype file_detect_type(const void *_buf, size_t bufsize)
return is_dos_exe(buf8) ? filetype_arm_efi_zimage : filetype_arm_zimage;
if (is_dos_exe(buf8))
- return filetype_exe;
+ return is_zboot_efi_linux_image(buf) ?
+ filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image : filetype_exe;
if (bufsize < 256)
return filetype_unknown;
@@ -605,6 +607,7 @@ bool filetype_is_linux_efi_image(enum filetype ft)
case filetype_arm64_efi_linux_image:
case filetype_riscv_efi_linux_image:
case filetype_x86_efi_linux_image:
+ case filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image:
return true;
default:
return false;
diff --git a/efi/loader/bootm.c b/efi/loader/bootm.c
index a68db742e173..4129441a47de 100644
--- a/efi/loader/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/loader/bootm.c
@@ -353,6 +353,12 @@ static struct image_handler arm32_linux_efi_handler = {
.filetype = filetype_arm_efi_zimage,
};
+static struct image_handler zboot_linux_efi_handler = {
+ .name = "Linux/EFI zboot image",
+ .bootm = efi_loader_bootm,
+ .filetype = filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image,
+};
+
static struct image_handler efi_image_loader = {
.name = "EFI Application",
.bootm = efi_loader_bootm,
@@ -367,6 +373,7 @@ static int efiloader_bootm_register(void)
register_image_handler(&aarch64_linux_efi_handler);
if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RISCV))
register_image_handler(&riscv_linux_efi_handler);
+ register_image_handler(&zboot_linux_efi_handler);
return register_image_handler(&efi_image_loader);
}
late_initcall(efiloader_bootm_register);
diff --git a/efi/payload/bootm.c b/efi/payload/bootm.c
index 2f9cc3cbf76b..d074709e3975 100644
--- a/efi/payload/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/payload/bootm.c
@@ -258,12 +258,19 @@ static struct image_handler efi_arm64_handle_tr = {
.filetype = filetype_arm64_efi_linux_image,
};
+static struct image_handler efi_zboot_handle_tr = {
+ .name = "EFI zboot Linux kernel",
+ .bootm = do_bootm_efi_stub,
+ .filetype = filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image,
+};
+
BAREBOX_MAGICVAR(global.linux.efi.handover,
"Use legacy x86 handover protocol instead of StartImage BootService");
static int efi_register_bootm_handler(void)
{
register_image_handler(&efi_app_handle_tr);
+ register_image_handler(&efi_zboot_handle_tr);
if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86)) {
if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_EFI_HANDOVER_PROTOCOL))
diff --git a/efi/payload/image.c b/efi/payload/image.c
index c5a04d7967a9..76aca1c43cec 100644
--- a/efi/payload/image.c
+++ b/efi/payload/image.c
@@ -200,9 +200,15 @@ static struct binfmt_hook binfmt_x86_efi_hook = {
.hook = efi_execute,
};
+static struct binfmt_hook binfmt_zboot_efi_hook = {
+ .type = filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image,
+ .hook = efi_execute,
+};
+
static int efi_register_image_handler(void)
{
binfmt_register(&binfmt_efi_hook);
+ binfmt_register(&binfmt_zboot_efi_hook);
if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86)) {
register_image_handler(&non_efi_handle_linux_x86);
diff --git a/include/filetype.h b/include/filetype.h
index 91dc37b71c13..281f467abcb2 100644
--- a/include/filetype.h
+++ b/include/filetype.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ enum filetype {
filetype_x86_linux_image,
filetype_x86_efi_linux_image,
filetype_pxa_ntim,
+ filetype_zboot_efi_linux_image,
filetype_max,
};
@@ -182,6 +183,13 @@ static inline bool is_barebox_riscv_head(const void *header)
!memcmp(header + 48, "barebox", 8);
}
+/* "zimg" image type and LINUX_PE_MAGIC, see Linux zboot-header.S */
+static inline bool is_zboot_efi_linux_image(const void *header)
+{
+ return !memcmp(header + 4, "zimg", 4) &&
+ le32_to_cpup(header + 56) == 0x818223cd;
+}
+
static inline bool is_x86_linux_bootimage(const void *header)
{
return get_unaligned_le32(header + 0x202) == 0x53726448;
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 02/12] commands: devlookup: honour global.bootm.root_param for -k
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 01/12] efi: treat EFI zboot Linux images like other EFI-stubbed kernels Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 03/12] common: bootargs: don't leave linux_bootargs dangling after free Ahmad Fatoum
` (9 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
From: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
devlookup -k prints the root= option that bootm would add for
global.bootm.root_dev, but it always calls it root=, even though
global.bootm.root_param now allows bootm to use e.g. verity= instead, so
only the initramfs and not the kernel picks up the root file system.
Let's use the same option name as bootm, so scripts can assemble the
option bootm would append for images it doesn't append it to, like
unified kernel images.
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5.5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
---
commands/devlookup.c | 5 +++--
common/block.c | 5 +++--
include/block.h | 6 ++++--
3 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
diff --git a/commands/devlookup.c b/commands/devlookup.c
index 8f3468735267..164c005236de 100644
--- a/commands/devlookup.c
+++ b/commands/devlookup.c
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ static int do_devlookup(int argc, char *argv[])
}
if (kernelopt)
- val = buf = cdev_get_linux_rootarg(cdev);
+ val = buf = cdev_get_linux_rootarg(cdev,
+ getenv_nonempty("global.bootm.root_param") ?: "root");
else if (paramname)
val = dev_get_param(cdev->dev, paramname);
else
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_TEXT("parameter with that name is looked up.")
BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_TEXT("")
BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_TEXT("Options:")
BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT ("-v", "write output to VARIABLE instead of printing it")
-BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT ("-k", "output kernel rootarg line")
+BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT ("-k", "output kernel rootarg line (see global.bootm.root_param)")
BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT ("-a", "output resolution of cdev alias")
BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_END
diff --git a/common/block.c b/common/block.c
index ac03479e2aca..c8b17f29f4a7 100644
--- a/common/block.c
+++ b/common/block.c
@@ -665,7 +665,8 @@ int cdev_get_linux_root_and_opts(const struct cdev *partcdev, const char **root,
return 0;
}
-char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev)
+char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev,
+ const char *root_param)
{
int err;
const char *root = NULL;
@@ -675,5 +676,5 @@ char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev)
if (err)
return NULL;
- return format_root_bootarg("root", root, rootopts);
+ return format_root_bootarg(root_param, root, rootopts);
}
diff --git a/include/block.h b/include/block.h
index 065ae81358b4..91ab91f9109b 100644
--- a/include/block.h
+++ b/include/block.h
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ static inline int block_flush(struct block_device *blk)
#ifdef CONFIG_BLOCK
unsigned file_list_add_blockdevs(struct file_list *files);
-char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev);
+char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev,
+ const char *root_param);
int cdev_get_linux_root_and_opts(const struct cdev *partcdev, const char **root,
const char **rootopts);
#else
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ static inline unsigned file_list_add_blockdevs(struct file_list *files)
{
return 0;
}
-static inline char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev)
+static inline char *cdev_get_linux_rootarg(const struct cdev *partcdev,
+ const char *root_param)
{
return NULL;
}
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 03/12] common: bootargs: don't leave linux_bootargs dangling after free
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 01/12] efi: treat EFI zboot Linux images like other EFI-stubbed kernels Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 02/12] commands: devlookup: honour global.bootm.root_param for -k Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 04/12] common: bootargs: drop legacy bootargs fallback with FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS Ahmad Fatoum
` (8 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum, Marco Felsch
linux_bootargs_get() frees the cached command line before recomputing it,
but the early return taken when there are no bootargs leaves the static
pointer referencing the freed allocation, so the next call frees it a
second time.
Clear the pointer right after freeing it.
Fixes: ee4cab9e5874 ("booting: more flexible Linux bootargs generation")
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5
Reviewed-by: Marco Felsch <m.felsch@pengutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
common/bootargs.c | 1 +
1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
diff --git a/common/bootargs.c b/common/bootargs.c
index 36528b8b5827..6373d9ccb1f7 100644
--- a/common/bootargs.c
+++ b/common/bootargs.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const char *linux_bootargs_get(void)
return linux_bootargs;
free(linux_bootargs);
+ linux_bootargs = NULL;
bootargs = globalvar_get_match("linux.bootargs.", " ");
if (!strlen(bootargs)) {
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 04/12] common: bootargs: drop legacy bootargs fallback with FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (2 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 03/12] common: bootargs: don't leave linux_bootargs dangling after free Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 05/12] globalvar: skip empty variables in globalvar_get_match() Ahmad Fatoum
` (7 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum, Marco Felsch
linux_bootargs_get() falls back to the legacy bootargs environment variable
whenever the concatenation of all global.linux.bootargs.* variables comes
out empty. That contradicts the documentation, which describes bootargs as
the CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS=n way of passing a command line, and it only
worked until the first boot entry had run: bootscript_boot() registers
global.linux.bootargs.dyn.ip and .dyn.root, and the separator between the
two empty variables made the result non-empty, so the kernel got a command
line consisting of spaces instead.
The early return taking the fallback also skipped global.linux.mtdparts.*
and global.linux.blkdevparts.*, so these only reached the kernel if a
global.linux.bootargs.* variable had a value, or the separators above made
it look like one had.
Drop the fallback, append mtdparts= and blkdevparts= whenever they are set
and return NULL only when there is nothing to pass at all. All callers
already handle a NULL command line, as the fallback could return NULL as
well.
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5
Reviewed-by: Marco Felsch <m.felsch@pengutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
.../flexible-bootargs-legacy-fallback.rst | 19 +++++++++++
Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst | 6 ++--
common/bootargs.c | 33 ++++++++-----------
3 files changed, 37 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/flexible-bootargs-legacy-fallback.rst
diff --git a/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/flexible-bootargs-legacy-fallback.rst b/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/flexible-bootargs-legacy-fallback.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..abb9a80d385b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/flexible-bootargs-legacy-fallback.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+Legacy bootargs variable ignored with CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS
+--------------------------------------------------------------
+
+With ``CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS`` enabled, the kernel command line used to
+fall back to the legacy ``bootargs`` environment variable whenever the
+concatenation of all ``global.linux.bootargs.*`` variables came out empty.
+This fallback is gone, only the global variables are used now.
+
+The fallback was already mostly unreachable: once a boot entry had run,
+``global.linux.bootargs.dyn.ip`` and ``global.linux.bootargs.dyn.root`` were
+registered and the separator between the two empty variables made the
+concatenation non-empty.
+
+Set ``global.linux.bootargs.base`` instead of ``bootargs``, or disable
+``CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS`` to keep using the legacy variable.
+
+``global.linux.mtdparts.*`` and ``global.linux.blkdevparts.*`` are now
+passed to the kernel even if no ``global.linux.bootargs.*`` variable has a
+value. Previously, they were dropped along with taking the fallback.
diff --git a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
index afc705ac865b..534b27e2167b 100644
--- a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
+++ b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
@@ -86,8 +86,10 @@ The simple method to pass bootargs to the kernel is with
takes the bootargs from the :ref:`bootargs <magicvar_bootargs>` environment variable.
With ``CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS`` enabled, the bootargs are composed
-from different :ref:`global device<global_device>` variables. All variables beginning
-with ``global.linux.bootargs.`` will be concatenated to the bootargs:
+from different :ref:`global device<global_device>` variables and the
+:ref:`bootargs <magicvar_bootargs>` environment variable is ignored.
+All variables beginning with ``global.linux.bootargs.`` will be concatenated
+to the bootargs:
.. code-block:: sh
diff --git a/common/bootargs.c b/common/bootargs.c
index 6373d9ccb1f7..1008e5cfccc0 100644
--- a/common/bootargs.c
+++ b/common/bootargs.c
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@ static int linux_bootargs_overwritten;
/*
* This returns the Linux bootargs
*
- * There are two ways to handle bootargs. The old legacy way is to use the
- * 'bootargs' environment variable. The new and more flexible way is to use
- * global variables beginning with "global.linux.bootargs." and
- * "global.linux.mtdparts.". These variables will be concatenated together to
- * the resulting bootargs. If there are no "global.linux.bootargs." variables
- * we fall back to "bootargs"
+ * The bootargs are concatenated from the global variables beginning with
+ * "global.linux.bootargs.", "global.linux.mtdparts." and
+ * "global.linux.blkdevparts.". The legacy 'bootargs' environment variable
+ * is only used by the CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS=n stub in <bootargs.h>.
*/
const char *linux_bootargs_get(void)
{
@@ -32,20 +30,12 @@ const char *linux_bootargs_get(void)
return linux_bootargs;
free(linux_bootargs);
- linux_bootargs = NULL;
-
- bootargs = globalvar_get_match("linux.bootargs.", " ");
- if (!strlen(bootargs)) {
- free(bootargs);
- return getenv("bootargs");
- }
-
- linux_bootargs = bootargs;
+ linux_bootargs = globalvar_get_match("linux.bootargs.", " ");
parts = globalvar_get_match("linux.mtdparts.", ";");
if (strlen(parts)) {
- bootargs = basprintf("%s mtdparts=%s", linux_bootargs,
- parts);
+ bootargs = basprintf("%s%smtdparts=%s", linux_bootargs,
+ *linux_bootargs ? " " : "", parts);
free(linux_bootargs);
linux_bootargs = bootargs;
}
@@ -54,14 +44,19 @@ const char *linux_bootargs_get(void)
parts = globalvar_get_match("linux.blkdevparts.", ";");
if (strlen(parts)) {
- bootargs = basprintf("%s blkdevparts=%s", linux_bootargs,
- parts);
+ bootargs = basprintf("%s%sblkdevparts=%s", linux_bootargs,
+ *linux_bootargs ? " " : "", parts);
free(linux_bootargs);
linux_bootargs = bootargs;
}
free(parts);
+ if (!*linux_bootargs) {
+ free(linux_bootargs);
+ linux_bootargs = NULL;
+ }
+
return linux_bootargs;
}
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 05/12] globalvar: skip empty variables in globalvar_get_match()
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (3 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 04/12] common: bootargs: drop legacy bootargs fallback with FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 06/12] efi: payload: honour bootm dryrun in the EFI application handler Ahmad Fatoum
` (6 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum, Marco Felsch
globalvar_get_match() concatenates all matching variables with the
separator, whether they have a value or not. As variables like
global.linux.bootargs.base or global.linux.bootargs.dyn.* are registered
unconditionally, but often left empty, the resulting kernel command line
would contain runs of multiple spaces.
Treat variables without a value as if they didn't exist at all.
Assisted-by: Claude:fable-5
Reviewed-by: Marco Felsch <m.felsch@pengutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst | 2 +-
common/globalvar.c | 6 +++++-
2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
index 534b27e2167b..9dbd3880091f 100644
--- a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
+++ b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ With ``CONFIG_FLEXIBLE_BOOTARGS`` enabled, the bootargs are composed
from different :ref:`global device<global_device>` variables and the
:ref:`bootargs <magicvar_bootargs>` environment variable is ignored.
All variables beginning with ``global.linux.bootargs.`` will be concatenated
-to the bootargs:
+to the bootargs. Variables without a value are skipped:
.. code-block:: sh
diff --git a/common/globalvar.c b/common/globalvar.c
index 876379b2538e..41f3e93b00e1 100644
--- a/common/globalvar.c
+++ b/common/globalvar.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
#include <init.h>
#include <environment.h>
#include <magicvar.h>
+#include <string.h>
#include <fs.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <libfile.h>
@@ -419,7 +420,8 @@ void globalvar_print(void)
* globalvar_get_match
*
* get a concatenated string of all globalvars beginning with 'match'.
- * This adds whitespaces between the different globalvars
+ * This adds the separator between the different globalvars. Variables
+ * without a value are skipped.
*/
char *globalvar_get_match(const char *match, const char *separator)
{
@@ -429,6 +431,8 @@ char *globalvar_get_match(const char *match, const char *separator)
dev_for_each_param(&global_device, param) {
if (!strncmp(match, param->name, strlen(match))) {
const char *p = dev_get_param(&global_device, param->name);
+ if (isempty(p))
+ continue;
if (val) {
char *new = basprintf("%s%s%s", val,
separator, p);
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 06/12] efi: payload: honour bootm dryrun in the EFI application handler
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (4 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 05/12] globalvar: skip empty variables in globalvar_get_match() Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 07/12] efi: payload: always shutdown barebox when booting Ahmad Fatoum
` (5 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
Unlike do_bootm_efi_stub(), the "EFI Application" bootm handler never
looked at data->dryrun and went on to StartImage the application, so
"bootm -d some.efi" ran the image it was only supposed to load.
Unload the image and return once it has been loaded and its type
detected, which is as far as the stub handler goes for a dryrun too.
Fixes: 35fb1743f5ac ("efi: payload: bootm: add support for efi stub boot")
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
efi/payload/bootm.c | 5 +++++
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
diff --git a/efi/payload/bootm.c b/efi/payload/bootm.c
index d074709e3975..d6a79f0c7795 100644
--- a/efi/payload/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/payload/bootm.c
@@ -220,6 +220,11 @@ static int efi_app_execute(struct image_data *data)
type = file_detect_type(loaded_image->image_base, PAGE_SIZE);
+ if (data->dryrun) {
+ BS->unload_image(handle);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, type);
}
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 07/12] efi: payload: always shutdown barebox when booting
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (5 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 06/12] efi: payload: honour bootm dryrun in the EFI application handler Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 08/12] efi: payload: pass shell arguments as load options to executed images Ahmad Fatoum
` (4 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
When barebox is about to boot a kernel image, it calls shutdown_barebox
and then starts the image. When the kernel image is wrapped in a UKI,
barebox will not detect it as a kernel image and will thus not call
shutdown_barebox beforehand, which can mean that e.g. state is not
flushed.
We do not want to treat UKIs completely like kernels (e.g. we do not
want to override their built-in bootargs), but we still want to properly
shutdown barebox.
Resolve this by shutting down barebox whenever we are in a bootm handler,
no matter which kind of image is about to be started: bootm is the point
of no return. Images run from the shell via binfmt keep returning to
barebox afterwards, with the exception of EFI-stubbed kernels, which take
over the machine and thus continue to shut barebox down as before.
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
.../efi-payload-bootm-shutdown.rst | 10 +++++++++
efi/payload/bootm.c | 4 ++--
efi/payload/image.c | 21 +++++++++++++------
efi/payload/image.h | 1 +
4 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/efi-payload-bootm-shutdown.rst
diff --git a/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/efi-payload-bootm-shutdown.rst b/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/efi-payload-bootm-shutdown.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2e0a84b536e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/migration-guides/migration-master/efi-payload-bootm-shutdown.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+EFI applications booted via bootm no longer return to barebox
+-------------------------------------------------------------
+
+When barebox runs as EFI payload, :ref:`command_bootm` now shuts down
+barebox before starting any EFI application, not only EFI-stubbed Linux
+kernels. If the application returns, barebox exits to the firmware instead
+of returning to the shell or trying the next boot entry.
+
+EFI applications that are expected to return, like an EFI shell, should be
+executed directly from the shell instead.
diff --git a/efi/payload/bootm.c b/efi/payload/bootm.c
index d6a79f0c7795..58b7dd5ea779 100644
--- a/efi/payload/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/payload/bootm.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ static int do_bootm_efi_stub(struct image_data *data)
if (data->dryrun)
goto unload_ramdisk;
- ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, type);
+ ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type);
/* efi_execute_image takes care to unload the image on error,
* so we set image_freed and fall through to freeing ramdisk
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int efi_app_execute(struct image_data *data)
return 0;
}
- return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, type);
+ return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type);
}
static int linux_efi_handover = true;
diff --git a/efi/payload/image.c b/efi/payload/image.c
index 76aca1c43cec..4e59c7b4ea10 100644
--- a/efi/payload/image.c
+++ b/efi/payload/image.c
@@ -100,17 +100,26 @@ int efi_load_image(const char *file, struct efi_loaded_image **loaded_image,
int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image,
+ bool is_bootm,
enum filetype filetype)
{
efi_status_t efiret;
const char *options;
- bool is_driver, is_kernel = false;
+ bool is_driver;
+ bool no_return;
is_driver = (loaded_image->image_code_type == EFI_BOOT_SERVICES_CODE) ||
(loaded_image->image_code_type == EFI_RUNTIME_SERVICES_CODE);
efi_export_dtb();
+ /*
+ * A bootm handler is the point of no return, but an EFI-stubbed kernel
+ * started from the shell takes over the machine just the same, so
+ * barebox needs to be shut down in both cases.
+ */
+ no_return = is_bootm || filetype_is_linux_efi_image(filetype);
+
if (filetype_is_linux_efi_image(filetype)) {
options = linux_bootargs_get();
printf("Booting kernel via StartImage");
@@ -121,11 +130,11 @@ int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
(strlen(options) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t);
}
printf("...\n");
+ }
+ if (no_return) {
efi_set_variable_usec("LoaderTimeExecUSec", &efi_systemd_vendor_guid,
ktime_to_us(ktime_get()));
-
- is_kernel = true;
shutdown_barebox();
}
@@ -135,8 +144,8 @@ int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
efi_continue_devices();
- if (is_kernel) {
- pr_emerg("Kernel image has unexpectedly returned\n");
+ if (no_return) {
+ pr_emerg("Boot image has unexpectedly returned\n");
BS->exit(efi_parent_image, efiret, 0, NULL);
}
@@ -162,7 +171,7 @@ static int efi_execute(struct binfmt_hook *b, char *file, int argc, char **argv)
if (ret)
return ret;
- return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, b->type);
+ return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, false, b->type);
}
static struct binfmt_hook binfmt_efi_hook = {
diff --git a/efi/payload/image.h b/efi/payload/image.h
index bab1be368c21..33f7e1a21b30 100644
--- a/efi/payload/image.h
+++ b/efi/payload/image.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ int efi_load_image(const char *file, struct efi_loaded_image **loaded_image,
int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image,
+ bool is_bootm,
enum filetype filetype);
extern struct image_handler efi_x86_linux_handle_tr;
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 08/12] efi: payload: pass shell arguments as load options to executed images
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (6 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 07/12] efi: payload: always shutdown barebox when booting Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:09 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 09/12] efi: add global.efi.bootargs for bootm'd EFI applications Ahmad Fatoum
` (3 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:09 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
EFI applications executed directly from the shell via the binfmt hook,
e.g. "/boot/shell.efi -nostartup", currently have their arguments silently
dropped: the only load options ever set are the Linux bootargs and only if
the image was detected as an EFI-stubbed kernel.
Serialize the arguments following the image path into the load options
instead and leave it to the caller of efi_execute_image() to decide what
the load options should be. bootm keeps passing the Linux bootargs for
kernel images, but executing a kernel image directly from the shell now
passes exactly what was typed on the command line, which makes the
documentation's claim that only bootm passes the kernel command line true
again.
The firmware unloads an application as soon as it returns, as does barebox'
own loader in efi_exit() and EDK2 in CoreStartImage(), so the load options
may only be cleared for a driver that started successfully and is thus
still around. The buffer itself belongs to barebox and is freed either way.
While at it, print the "Booting ... with options" message for all
images, not only for EFI-stubbed kernels, and add the missing space in it.
Assisted-by: Claude:fable-5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
efi/payload/bootm.c | 9 ++++++--
efi/payload/image.c | 54 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------
efi/payload/image.h | 2 +-
3 files changed, 47 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
diff --git a/efi/payload/bootm.c b/efi/payload/bootm.c
index 58b7dd5ea779..1eec73a13dd0 100644
--- a/efi/payload/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/payload/bootm.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
#include <string.h>
#include <linux/err.h>
#include <boot.h>
+#include <bootargs.h>
#include <bootm.h>
#include <fs.h>
#include <libfile.h>
@@ -185,7 +186,9 @@ static int do_bootm_efi_stub(struct image_data *data)
if (data->dryrun)
goto unload_ramdisk;
- ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type);
+ ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type,
+ filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type) ?
+ linux_bootargs_get() : NULL);
/* efi_execute_image takes care to unload the image on error,
* so we set image_freed and fall through to freeing ramdisk
@@ -225,7 +228,9 @@ static int efi_app_execute(struct image_data *data)
return 0;
}
- return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type);
+ return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type,
+ filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type) ?
+ linux_bootargs_get() : NULL);
}
static int linux_efi_handover = true;
diff --git a/efi/payload/image.c b/efi/payload/image.c
index 4e59c7b4ea10..003433ebb4ad 100644
--- a/efi/payload/image.c
+++ b/efi/payload/image.c
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
#include <malloc.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <linux/err.h>
-#include <bootargs.h>
#include <bootm.h>
#include <fs.h>
#include <libfile.h>
@@ -101,10 +100,10 @@ int efi_load_image(const char *file, struct efi_loaded_image **loaded_image,
int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image,
bool is_bootm,
- enum filetype filetype)
+ enum filetype filetype, const char *options)
{
efi_status_t efiret;
- const char *options;
+ wchar_t *load_options = NULL;
bool is_driver;
bool no_return;
@@ -120,18 +119,19 @@ int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
*/
no_return = is_bootm || filetype_is_linux_efi_image(filetype);
- if (filetype_is_linux_efi_image(filetype)) {
- options = linux_bootargs_get();
- printf("Booting kernel via StartImage");
- if (options) {
- printf("with options '%s'", options);
- loaded_image->load_options = xstrdup_char_to_wchar(options);
- loaded_image->load_options_size =
- (strlen(options) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t);
- }
- printf("...\n");
+ if (options && *options) {
+ load_options = xstrdup_char_to_wchar(options);
+ loaded_image->load_options = load_options;
+ loaded_image->load_options_size =
+ (strlen(options) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t);
}
+ printf("Booting %s", filetype_is_linux_efi_image(filetype) ?
+ "kernel via StartImage" : "EFI image");
+ if (load_options)
+ printf(" with options '%s'", options);
+ printf("...\n");
+
if (no_return) {
efi_set_variable_usec("LoaderTimeExecUSec", &efi_systemd_vendor_guid,
ktime_to_us(ktime_get()));
@@ -152,8 +152,24 @@ int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
if (EFI_ERROR(efiret))
pr_err("failed to StartImage: %s\n", efi_strerror(efiret));
- if (!is_driver)
+ /*
+ * load_options is freed below, so a driver that started successfully
+ * and thus stays loaded must drop its reference to it. The firmware
+ * already unloaded an application that returned and a driver that
+ * failed to start, so their loaded image protocol must not be touched.
+ * Unloading an application that already returned just fails, but is
+ * still needed when StartImage failed before running it.
+ */
+ if (is_driver) {
+ if (!EFI_ERROR(efiret)) {
+ loaded_image->load_options = NULL;
+ loaded_image->load_options_size = 0;
+ }
+ } else {
BS->unload_image(handle);
+ }
+
+ free(load_options);
efi_connect_all();
efi_register_devices();
@@ -165,13 +181,21 @@ static int efi_execute(struct binfmt_hook *b, char *file, int argc, char **argv)
{
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image;
efi_handle_t handle;
+ char *options;
int ret;
ret = efi_load_image(file, &loaded_image, &handle);
if (ret)
return ret;
- return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, false, b->type);
+ /* argv[0] is the image itself, the rest become the load options */
+ options = strjoin(" ", &argv[1], argc - 1);
+
+ ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, false, b->type, options);
+
+ free(options);
+
+ return ret;
}
static struct binfmt_hook binfmt_efi_hook = {
diff --git a/efi/payload/image.h b/efi/payload/image.h
index 33f7e1a21b30..54494c71626a 100644
--- a/efi/payload/image.h
+++ b/efi/payload/image.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ int efi_load_image(const char *file, struct efi_loaded_image **loaded_image,
int efi_execute_image(efi_handle_t handle,
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image,
bool is_bootm,
- enum filetype filetype);
+ enum filetype filetype, const char *options);
extern struct image_handler efi_x86_linux_handle_tr;
extern struct image_handler efi_x86_linux_handle_handover;
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 09/12] efi: add global.efi.bootargs for bootm'd EFI applications
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (7 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:09 ` [PATCH v3 08/12] efi: payload: pass shell arguments as load options to executed images Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:10 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 10/12] Documentation: efi: describe load options handling Ahmad Fatoum
` (2 subsequent siblings)
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:10 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
The load options of an EFI application booted via bootm can so far only be
influenced for EFI-stubbed Linux kernels and only via the Linux bootargs.
There is no way to pass options to a generic EFI application like a shell
or a boot loader, and no way to pass EFI-stub-specific options like initrd=
or efi= to a kernel separately from what goes into the Linux bootargs.
Add a global.efi.bootargs.* family of variables that works like
global.linux.bootargs.*: all variables with that prefix are concatenated in
lexicographical order and become the load options of any EFI application
booted via bootm. For EFI-stubbed Linux kernels, the Linux bootargs are
appended, so the kernel command line becomes
"$global.efi.bootargs $global.linux.bootargs".
The helper lives outside efi/payload and efi/loader, as the variable is
meant to be used identically when barebox runs as EFI payload and when it
runs as EFI loader. Executing an application directly from the shell keeps
passing only the shell arguments and the legacy x86 handover protocol is
unaffected, because it bypasses the EFI stub that would interpret the load
options.
Assisted-by: Claude:fable-5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
common/boot.c | 1 +
efi/Makefile | 2 +-
efi/bootargs.c | 62 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
efi/loader/bootm.c | 27 ++++++++++++------
efi/payload/bootm.c | 22 ++++++++++-----
include/efi/bootargs.h | 9 ++++++
test/py/test_shell.py | 26 ++++++++++++++++++
7 files changed, 132 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 efi/bootargs.c
create mode 100644 include/efi/bootargs.h
diff --git a/common/boot.c b/common/boot.c
index 149bfeca000c..c7fa170224b1 100644
--- a/common/boot.c
+++ b/common/boot.c
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ int boot_entry(struct bootentry *be, int verbose, int dryrun)
pr_err("Booting entry '%s' failed: %pe\n", be->title, ERR_PTR(ret));
globalvar_set_match("linux.bootargs.dyn.", "");
+ globalvar_set_match("efi.bootargs.dyn.", "");
return ret;
}
diff --git a/efi/Makefile b/efi/Makefile
index 7693085c7141..f330c1416dbf 100644
--- a/efi/Makefile
+++ b/efi/Makefile
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_EFI_RUNTIME) += runtime/
obj-$(CONFIG_EFI_GUID) += guid.o
obj-$(CONFIG_EFI_DEVICEPATH) += devicepath.o
obj-$(CONFIG_EFI) += errno.o handle.o efivar.o efivar-filename.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_EFI) += initrd.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_EFI) += initrd.o bootargs.o
diff --git a/efi/bootargs.c b/efi/bootargs.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..58760b581e75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/efi/bootargs.c
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+/*
+ * bootargs.c - load options for EFI applications started via bootm
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2026 Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
+ */
+#include <common.h>
+#include <init.h>
+#include <malloc.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <magicvar.h>
+#include <globalvar.h>
+#include <bootargs.h>
+#include <efi/bootargs.h>
+
+/**
+ * efi_bootargs_get() - compute load options for an EFI application
+ * @linux_image: whether the image is an EFI-stubbed Linux kernel
+ *
+ * All variables beginning with "global.efi.bootargs." are concatenated in
+ * lexicographical order. For Linux kernels, the Linux bootargs are appended,
+ * so the EFI stub sees them as the kernel command line.
+ *
+ * Return: newly allocated string to be freed by the caller or NULL
+ */
+char *efi_bootargs_get(bool linux_image)
+{
+ char *efi_args, *options = NULL;
+ char *args[2];
+ int nargs = 0;
+
+ efi_args = globalvar_get_match("efi.bootargs.", " ");
+ if (!isempty(efi_args))
+ args[nargs++] = efi_args;
+
+ if (linux_image) {
+ const char *linux_args = linux_bootargs_get();
+
+ if (!isempty(linux_args))
+ args[nargs++] = (char *)linux_args;
+ }
+
+ if (nargs)
+ options = strjoin(" ", args, nargs);
+
+ free(efi_args);
+
+ return options;
+}
+
+static int efi_bootargs_init(void)
+{
+ globalvar_add_simple("efi.bootargs.base", NULL);
+
+ return 0;
+}
+late_initcall(efi_bootargs_init);
+
+BAREBOX_MAGICVAR(global.efi.bootargs.*,
+ "Load options of EFI applications started via bootm. Linux bootargs are appended for EFI-stubbed kernels");
+BAREBOX_MAGICVAR(global.efi.bootargs.dyn.*,
+ "Load options set by boot entries. Cleared after each boot entry");
diff --git a/efi/loader/bootm.c b/efi/loader/bootm.c
index 4129441a47de..4bea88029ab9 100644
--- a/efi/loader/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/loader/bootm.c
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
#include <init.h>
#include <driver.h>
#include <io.h>
-#include <bootargs.h>
#include <malloc.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <linux/err.h>
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@
#include <efi/services.h>
#include <efi/error.h>
#include <efi/initrd.h>
+#include <efi/bootargs.h>
#include <efi/devicepath.h>
/**
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ static int efi_loader_bootm(struct image_data *data)
resource_size_t start, end;
void *load_option = NULL;
u32 load_option_size = 0;
+ char *options;
efi_handle_t handle;
struct efi_device_path *file_path = NULL;
struct efi_event *evt;
@@ -215,19 +216,19 @@ static int efi_loader_bootm(struct image_data *data)
if (IS_ERR(os_res))
return PTR_ERR(os_res);
- if (filetype_is_linux_efi_image(data->kernel_type)) {
- const char *options;
-
- options = linux_bootargs_get();
- if (options) {
- load_option = xstrdup_char_to_wchar(options);
- load_option_size = (strlen(options) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t);
- }
+ options = efi_bootargs_get(filetype_is_linux_efi_image(data->kernel_type));
+ if (options) {
+ load_option = xstrdup_char_to_wchar(options);
+ load_option_size = (strlen(options) + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t);
}
file_path = efi_dp_from_file(AT_FDCWD, data->os_file);
pr_info("Loading %pD\n", file_path);
+ if (data->verbose && options)
+ pr_info("Load options: %s\n", options);
+
+ free(options);
/* Initialize EFI drivers */
efiret = efi_init_obj_list();
@@ -321,6 +322,14 @@ static int efi_loader_bootm(struct image_data *data)
/* Control is returned to us, disable EFI watchdog */
efi_set_watchdog(0);
+ /*
+ * A still loaded driver would keep referencing the load options.
+ * efi_set_load_options() tolerates the already deleted handle of an
+ * application.
+ */
+ efi_set_load_options(handle, 0, NULL);
+ free(load_option);
+
return -efi_errno(efiret);
out:
diff --git a/efi/payload/bootm.c b/efi/payload/bootm.c
index 1eec73a13dd0..7a90aab7309b 100644
--- a/efi/payload/bootm.c
+++ b/efi/payload/bootm.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
#include <string.h>
#include <linux/err.h>
#include <boot.h>
-#include <bootargs.h>
#include <bootm.h>
#include <fs.h>
#include <libfile.h>
@@ -32,6 +31,7 @@
#include <efi/payload/driver.h>
#include <efi/error.h>
#include <efi/initrd.h>
+#include <efi/bootargs.h>
#include "image.h"
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ static int do_bootm_efi_stub(struct image_data *data)
bool image_freed = false;
efi_handle_t handle = NULL; /* silence compiler warning */
enum filetype type;
+ char *options;
int ret;
ret = efi_load_os(data, &loaded_image, &handle);
@@ -186,9 +187,11 @@ static int do_bootm_efi_stub(struct image_data *data)
if (data->dryrun)
goto unload_ramdisk;
- ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type,
- filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type) ?
- linux_bootargs_get() : NULL);
+ options = efi_bootargs_get(filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type));
+
+ ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type, options);
+
+ free(options);
/* efi_execute_image takes care to unload the image on error,
* so we set image_freed and fall through to freeing ramdisk
@@ -215,6 +218,7 @@ static int efi_app_execute(struct image_data *data)
struct efi_loaded_image *loaded_image;
efi_handle_t handle;
enum filetype type;
+ char *options;
int ret;
ret = efi_load_image(data->os_file, &loaded_image, &handle);
@@ -228,9 +232,13 @@ static int efi_app_execute(struct image_data *data)
return 0;
}
- return efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type,
- filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type) ?
- linux_bootargs_get() : NULL);
+ options = efi_bootargs_get(filetype_is_linux_efi_image(type));
+
+ ret = efi_execute_image(handle, loaded_image, true, type, options);
+
+ free(options);
+
+ return ret;
}
static int linux_efi_handover = true;
diff --git a/include/efi/bootargs.h b/include/efi/bootargs.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..dfd17261ff9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/efi/bootargs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only */
+#ifndef __EFI_BOOTARGS_H
+#define __EFI_BOOTARGS_H
+
+#include <linux/types.h>
+
+char *efi_bootargs_get(bool linux_image);
+
+#endif /* __EFI_BOOTARGS_H */
diff --git a/test/py/test_shell.py b/test/py/test_shell.py
index be746ca205ba..7a3330b16466 100644
--- a/test/py/test_shell.py
+++ b/test/py/test_shell.py
@@ -153,3 +153,29 @@ def test_barebox_test_var_exists(barebox, barebox_config):
# Clean up
barebox.run_check('rm /tmp/testvars')
+
+
+def test_boot_bootargs_dyn_cleared(barebox, barebox_config):
+ skip_disabled(barebox_config, "CONFIG_CMD_BOOT", "CONFIG_CMD_GLOBAL",
+ "CONFIG_CMD_ECHO")
+
+ barebox.run_check("echo -o /env/boot/dyntest '#!/bin/sh'")
+ barebox.run_check("echo -a /env/boot/dyntest "
+ "'global linux.bootargs.dyn.test=linux-dyn'")
+ barebox.run_check("echo -a /env/boot/dyntest "
+ "'global efi.bootargs.dyn.test=efi-dyn'")
+ barebox.run_check("echo -a /env/boot/dyntest "
+ "'global efi.bootargs.nodyntest=efi-static'")
+
+ # Run the script, but don't actually boot anything
+ barebox.run("boot -d -d dyntest")
+
+ # .dyn. variables must not leak into subsequent boot entries
+ assert barebox.run_check("echo ${global.linux.bootargs.dyn.test}") == [""]
+ assert barebox.run_check("echo ${global.efi.bootargs.dyn.test}") == [""]
+ # ... but other variables are left alone
+ assert barebox.run_check("echo ${global.efi.bootargs.nodyntest}") == \
+ ["efi-static"]
+
+ barebox.run_check("global -r efi.bootargs.nodyntest")
+ barebox.run_check("rm /env/boot/dyntest")
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 10/12] Documentation: efi: describe load options handling
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (8 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 09/12] efi: add global.efi.bootargs for bootm'd EFI applications Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:10 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 11/12] test: py: efiloader: check global.efi.bootargs reaches the kernel Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 12/12] boot: report exit status of failing boot scripts Ahmad Fatoum
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:10 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum, Marco Felsch
Document that arguments following an EFI application's path on the shell
command line become its load options, that bootm populates the load options
from global.efi.bootargs.* and that the Linux bootargs follow for
EFI-stubbed kernels, both for barebox as EFI payload and as EFI loader.
Assisted-by: Claude:fable-5
Reviewed-by: Marco Felsch <m.felsch@pengutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
Documentation/boards/efi.rst | 68 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst | 6 ++-
2 files changed, 72 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/boards/efi.rst b/Documentation/boards/efi.rst
index 825b9cf9941c..54a32067538b 100644
--- a/Documentation/boards/efi.rst
+++ b/Documentation/boards/efi.rst
@@ -110,8 +110,74 @@ means passing control to the calling instance. Note that currently the :ref:`com
command will pass the control to the calling instance rather than resetting
the CPU. This may change in the future.
+Arguments following the path on the command line are passed to the
+application as its load options, so an EFI shell can for example be
+started with:
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+ barebox:/ /boot/shell.efi -nostartup
+
Although the Linux Kernel can be directly executed one should use the :ref:`command_bootm`
-command. Only the bootm command passes the Kernel commandline to the Kernel.
+command. Only the bootm command passes the Kernel commandline to the Kernel
+and provides it with an initrd and a device tree.
+
+The same holds for unified kernel images (UKIs). When executed directly,
+barebox as EFI payload starts them like any other EFI application and
+does not shut itself down before they take over the system.
+
+.. _efi_load_options:
+
+Load options
+^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+When booting an EFI application via :ref:`command_bootm`, barebox populates
+its load options from the :ref:`global device<global_device>` variables
+beginning with ``global.efi.bootargs.``. Like the Linux bootargs, these are
+concatenated in lexicographical order of their names. For EFI-stubbed Linux
+kernels, the ``global.linux.bootargs.``-prefixed
+:ref:`kernel arguments <booting_linux>` are appended to the load options,
+so that the EFI stub sees both as the kernel command line:
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+ global efi.bootargs.base="efi=debug"
+ global linux.bootargs.base="console=ttyS0,115200"
+
+ bootm /boot/vmlinuz.efi
+
+ ...
+
+ Kernel command line: efi=debug console=ttyS0,115200
+
+This works both when barebox runs as EFI payload and when it acts as
+EFI loader for the application. The load options are not used when booting
+x86 kernels via the legacy handover protocol (``global.linux.efi.handover``),
+as the EFI stub, which would interpret them, is bypassed in that case.
+
+Like :ref:`boot entries <boot_entries>` do for the Linux
+bootargs, boot entries should add load options to variables with ``.dyn``
+in their name, e.g. ``global.efi.bootargs.dyn.initrd``. These are cleared
+after each boot entry, so that load options do not leak into subsequently
+booted entries.
+
+Unified kernel images (UKIs) are not detected as Linux kernels, but as
+regular EFI applications. Only ``global.efi.bootargs.*`` is passed to them
+as load options; the Linux bootargs, including the ``root=`` option added
+by ``global.bootm.appendroot``, are not appended. systemd-stub uses
+non-empty load options in place of the command line embedded in the UKI,
+unless Secure Boot is enabled and the UKI has an embedded command line, in
+which case the load options are ignored.
+
+To pass a ``root=`` option to a UKI, have :ref:`command_devlookup`
+generate it for the root partition, the same way ``global.bootm.appendroot``
+would, including the option name from ``global.bootm.root_param``:
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+ devlookup -v rootarg -k /dev/disk0.1
+ global efi.bootargs.root="${rootarg}"
+ bootm /boot/EFI/Linux/uki.efi
Drivers
^^^^^^^
diff --git a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
index 9dbd3880091f..cc6baada6d2b 100644
--- a/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
+++ b/Documentation/user/booting-linux.rst
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ to the bootargs. Variables without a value are skipped:
Kernel command line: ignore_loglevel console=ttyO0,115200 earlyprintk
+When booting an EFI-stubbed kernel as EFI application, the
+:ref:`EFI load options <efi_load_options>` precede the Linux bootargs.
+
.. _bootargs_concat_order:
Concatenation order
@@ -175,7 +178,8 @@ This takes the kernel from ``/mnt/mmc1/zImage`` (which could be an
boot entries should always add Kernel command line parameters to variables with
``.dyn`` in it. These will be cleared before booting different boot entries.
This is done so that following boot entries do not leak command line
-parameters from the previous boot entries.
+parameters from the previous boot entries. The same applies to the
+:ref:`EFI load options <efi_load_options>` in ``global.efi.bootargs.dyn.*``.
This entry can be booted with ``boot mmc``. It can also be made the default by
setting the :ref:`global.boot.default <magicvar_global_boot_default>` variable
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 11/12] test: py: efiloader: check global.efi.bootargs reaches the kernel
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (9 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 10/12] Documentation: efi: describe load options handling Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:10 ` Ahmad Fatoum
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 12/12] boot: report exit status of failing boot scripts Ahmad Fatoum
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:10 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
Set a global.efi.bootargs.* variable before booting the Debian kernel and
verify that it shows up in /proc/cmdline ahead of the Linux bootargs when
booting via the EFI stub and that it is absent when booting the same kernel
without EFI.
Assisted-by: Claude:fable-5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
---
test/py/test_linux_efiloader.py | 6 ++++++
1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
diff --git a/test/py/test_linux_efiloader.py b/test/py/test_linux_efiloader.py
index eae6703e9d49..a39c6804f61a 100644
--- a/test/py/test_linux_efiloader.py
+++ b/test/py/test_linux_efiloader.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ def configure_bootm(strategy, barebox):
barebox.run_check(f"global.bootm.image={kernel_path}")
# Speed up subsequent runs a bit
barebox.run_check("global linux.bootargs.noapparmor=apparmor=0")
+ # EFI load options are only used with the EFI stub
+ barebox.run_check("global efi.bootargs.test=efibootargs=1")
@pytest.mark.lg_feature(['bootable', 'efi', 'testfs'])
@@ -76,6 +78,8 @@ def test_boot_manual_with_initrd(strategy, barebox, env, efiloader, debian_iso):
"\n".join(dmesg)) is not None
if efiloader:
+ # global.efi.bootargs.* must precede global.linux.bootargs.*
+ shell.run_check("grep -q 'efibootargs=1.* apparmor=0' /proc/cmdline")
check_efi_kernel_no_warn(shell)
check_expected_efi_messages(shell, env)
check_efi_systab(shell, env)
@@ -87,6 +91,8 @@ def test_boot_manual_with_initrd(strategy, barebox, env, efiloader, debian_iso):
# Verify that EFI was NOT used
assert uefi_not_found, \
"EFI stub was used despite global.bootm.efi=disabled"
+ _, _, ret = shell.run("grep -q efibootargs=1 /proc/cmdline")
+ assert ret != 0, "EFI load options passed despite non-EFI boot"
def check_efi_kernel_no_warn(shell):
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread* [PATCH v3 12/12] boot: report exit status of failing boot scripts
2026-10-26 12:09 [PATCH v3 00/12] efi: payload: allow passing arguments to UKIs Ahmad Fatoum
` (10 preceding siblings ...)
2026-10-26 12:10 ` [PATCH v3 11/12] test: py: efiloader: check global.efi.bootargs reaches the kernel Ahmad Fatoum
@ 2026-10-26 12:10 ` Ahmad Fatoum
11 siblings, 0 replies; 13+ messages in thread
From: Ahmad Fatoum @ 2026-10-26 12:10 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: barebox; +Cc: Ahmad Fatoum
From: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
A boot script that runs, but fails, makes execute_binfmt() return its
positive exit status, while bootscript_boot() treats any non-zero value
as negative error code. A failing script thus logs nonsense:
Running script '/env/boot/foo' failed: error -1
Booting entry 'foo' failed: 0000000000000001
Let's print the exit status instead and return -EINVAL, so boot_entry()
and other callers get the negative error code they expect.
Fixes: 662ff5a3558e ("boot: make it a little bit less verbose")
Assisted-by: Claude:opus-5.5
Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
---
common/boot.c | 9 +++++++--
1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/common/boot.c b/common/boot.c
index c7fa170224b1..00c95eb7f5f7 100644
--- a/common/boot.c
+++ b/common/boot.c
@@ -117,8 +117,13 @@ static int bootscript_boot(struct bootentry *entry, int verbose, int dryrun)
* without the shell expanding or splitting it first.
*/
ret = execute_binfmt(bs->args ? 2 : 1, argv);
- if (ret) {
- pr_err("Running script '%s' failed: %s\n", bs->entry.path, strerror(-ret));
+ if (ret > 0) {
+ pr_err("Running script '%s' failed with exit status %d\n",
+ bs->entry.path, ret);
+ ret = -EINVAL;
+ goto out;
+ } else if (ret) {
+ pr_err("Running script '%s' failed: %pe\n", bs->entry.path, ERR_PTR(ret));
goto out;
}
--
2.47.3
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 13+ messages in thread