1 files changed, 12 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/include/net/sch_generic.h b/include/net/sch_generic.h
index b5f40d7ef724..c5bb13065051 100644
--- a/include/net/sch_generic.h
+++ b/include/net/sch_generic.h
@@ -193,10 +193,22 @@ static inline struct Qdisc *qdisc_root(struct Qdisc *qdisc)
         return qdisc->dev_queue->qdisc;
 }
 
+/* The qdisc root lock is a mechanism by which to top level
+ * of a qdisc tree can be locked from any qdisc node in the
+ * forest.  This allows changing the configuration of some
+ * aspect of the qdisc tree while blocking out asynchronous
+ * qdisc access in the packet processing paths.
+ *
+ * It is only legal to do this when the root will not change
+ * on us.  Otherwise we'll potentially lock the wrong qdisc
+ * root.  This is enforced by holding the RTNL semaphore, which
+ * all users of this lock accessor must do.
+ */
 static inline spinlock_t *qdisc_root_lock(struct Qdisc *qdisc)
 {
         struct Qdisc *root = qdisc_root(qdisc);
 
+        ASSERT_RTNL();
         return qdisc_lock(root);
 }