Markus Elfring [off-list ref] writes:

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The label “out_err” was used to jump to another pointer check despite of
the detail in the implementation of the function “pSeries_reconfig_add_node”
that it was determined already that the corresponding variable contained
a null pointer (because of a failed function call in two cases).

1. Thus return directly after a call of the function “kzalloc” failed.

2. Use more appropriate labels instead.

3. Delete a redundant check.

4. Omit an explicit initialisation for the local variable “err”.

This issue was detected by using the Coccinelle software.

Is there a correctness or safety issue here?

I got the impression that the application of only a single label like “out_err”
resulted in improvable implementation details.

I don't understand what you're trying to say here.

What does hinder you to understand the presented change description better
at the moment?

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It doesn't seem to answer my question.

I hope that my answer will trigger further helpful considerations.

I don't consider this response constructive, but I want to get this back
on track. It's been brought to my attention that there is in fact a
crash bug in this function's error path:

	np->parent = pseries_of_derive_parent(path);
	if (IS_ERR(np->parent)) {
		err = PTR_ERR(np->parent);
		goto out_err;
	}
...
out_err:
	if (np) {
		of_node_put(np->parent);

np->parent can be an encoded error value, we don't want to of_node_put()
that.

I believe the patch as written happens to fix the issue. Will you please
write it up as a bug fix and resubmit?