1 files changed, 23 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/memory-barriers.txt b/Documentation/memory-barriers.txt
index f1dc4a215593..a4de88fb55f0 100644
--- a/Documentation/memory-barriers.txt
+++ b/Documentation/memory-barriers.txt
@@ -757,10 +757,14 @@ SMP BARRIER PAIRING
 When dealing with CPU-CPU interactions, certain types of memory barrier should
 always be paired.  A lack of appropriate pairing is almost certainly an error.
 
-A write barrier should always be paired with a data dependency barrier or read
-barrier, though a general barrier would also be viable.  Similarly a read
-barrier or a data dependency barrier should always be paired with at least an
-write barrier, though, again, a general barrier is viable:
+General barriers pair with each other, though they also pair with
+most other types of barriers, albeit without transitivity.  An acquire
+barrier pairs with a release barrier, but both may also pair with other
+barriers, including of course general barriers.  A write barrier pairs
+with a data dependency barrier, an acquire barrier, a release barrier,
+a read barrier, or a general barrier.  Similarly a read barrier or a
+data dependency barrier pairs with a write barrier, an acquire barrier,
+a release barrier, or a general barrier:
 
         CPU 1                 CPU 2
         ===============       ===============
@@ -1893,6 +1897,21 @@ between the STORE to indicate the event and the STORE to set TASK_RUNNING:
             <general barrier>             STORE current->state
         LOAD event_indicated
 
+To repeat, this write memory barrier is present if and only if something
+is actually awakened.  To see this, consider the following sequence of
+events, where X and Y are both initially zero:
+
+        CPU 1                           CPU 2
+        =============================== ===============================
+        X = 1;                          STORE event_indicated
+        smp_mb();                       wake_up();
+        Y = 1;                          wait_event(wq, Y == 1);
+        wake_up();                        load from Y sees 1, no memory barrier
+                                        load from X might see 0
+
+In contrast, if a wakeup does occur, CPU 2's load from X would be guaranteed
+to see 1.
+
 The available waker functions include:
 
         complete();