# \[PATCH 11/14\] objtool: Allow empty alternatives

- From: Josh Poimboeuf \<jpoimboe@kernel.org\>
- Date: 2026-03-05 03:31:57 
- List: live-patching
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/live-patching/2026/03/3441289
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/live-patching/2026/03/3441278/t.md

```text
arm64 can have empty alternatives, which are effectively no-ops.  Ignore
them.

Signed-off-by: Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@kernel.org>
---
 tools/objtool/check.c | 4 +---
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/objtool/check.c b/tools/objtool/check.c
index 23cde2de66b9..036adbd67488 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/check.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/check.c
@@ -1994,10 +1994,8 @@ static int add_special_section_alts(struct objtool_file *file)
 		}
 
 		if (special_alt->group) {
-			if (!special_alt->orig_len) {
-				ERROR_INSN(orig_insn, "empty alternative entry");
+			if (!special_alt->orig_len)
 				continue;
-			}
 
 			if (handle_group_alt(file, special_alt, orig_insn, &new_insn))
 				return -1;
-- 
2.53.0

```