kernel: workq: introduce work timeout:

include/zephyr/kernel.h

@@ -4219,6 +4219,16 @@ struct k_work_queue_config {
 	 * essential thread.
 	 */
 	bool essential;
+
+	/** Controls whether work queue monitors work timeouts.
+	 *
+	 * If non-zero, and CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT is enabled,
+	 * the work queue will monitor the duration of each work item.
+	 * If the work item handler takes longer than the specified
+	 * time to execute, the work queue thread will be aborted, and
+	 * an error will be logged if CONFIG_LOG is enabled.
+	 */
+	uint32_t work_timeout_ms;
 };
 
 /** @brief A structure used to hold work until it can be processed. */
@@ -4246,6 +4256,12 @@ struct k_work_q {
 
 	/* Flags describing queue state. */
 	uint32_t flags;
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+	struct _timeout work_timeout_record;
+	struct k_work *work;
+	k_timeout_t work_timeout;
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
 };
 
 /* Provide the implementation for inline functions declared above */

kernel/Kconfig

@@ -574,6 +574,14 @@ endmenu
 
 rsource "Kconfig.obj_core"
 
+config WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT
+	bool "Support workqueue work timeout monitoring"
+	help
+	  If enabled, the workqueue will monitor the duration of each work item.
+	  If the work item handler takes longer than the specified time to
+	  execute, the work queue thread will be aborted, and an error will be
+	  logged.
+
 menu "System Work Queue Options"
 config SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_STACK_SIZE
 	int "System workqueue stack size"
@@ -600,6 +608,14 @@ config SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_NO_YIELD
 	  cooperative and a sequence of work items is expected to complete
 	  without yielding.
 
+config SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS
+	int "Select system work queue work timeout in milliseconds"
+	default 5000 if ASSERT
+	default 0
+	help
+	  Set to 0 to disable work timeout for system workqueue. Option
+	  has no effect if WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT is not enabled.
+
 endmenu
 
 menu "Barrier Operations"

kernel/system_work_q.c

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ static int k_sys_work_q_init(void)
 		.name = "sysworkq",
 		.no_yield = IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_NO_YIELD),
 		.essential = true,
+		.work_timeout_ms = CONFIG_SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS,
 	};
 
 	k_work_queue_start(&k_sys_work_q,

kernel/work.c

@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <ksched.h>
 #include <zephyr/sys/printk.h>
+#include <zephyr/logging/log.h>
+
+LOG_MODULE_DECLARE(os, CONFIG_KERNEL_LOG_LEVEL);
 
 static inline void flag_clear(uint32_t *flagp,
 			      uint32_t bit)
@@ -599,6 +602,52 @@ bool k_work_cancel_sync(struct k_work *work,
 	return pending;
 }
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+static void work_timeout_handler(struct _timeout *record)
+{
+	struct k_work_q *queue = CONTAINER_OF(record, struct k_work_q, work_timeout_record);
+	struct k_work *work;
+	k_work_handler_t handler;
+	const char *name;
+	const char *space = " ";
+
+	K_SPINLOCK(&lock) {
+		work = queue->work;
+		handler = work->handler;
+	}
+
+	name = k_thread_name_get(queue->thread_id);
+	if (name == NULL) {
+		name = "";
+		space = "";
+	}
+
+	LOG_ERR("queue %p%s%s blocked by work %p with handler %p",
+		queue, space, name, work, handler);
+
+	k_thread_abort(queue->thread_id);
+}
+
+static void work_timeout_start_locked(struct k_work_q *queue, struct k_work *work)
+{
+	if (K_TIMEOUT_EQ(queue->work_timeout, K_FOREVER)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	queue->work = work;
+	z_add_timeout(&queue->work_timeout_record, work_timeout_handler, queue->work_timeout);
+}
+
+static void work_timeout_stop_locked(struct k_work_q *queue)
+{
+	if (K_TIMEOUT_EQ(queue->work_timeout, K_FOREVER)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	z_abort_timeout(&queue->work_timeout_record);
+}
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
+
 /* Loop executed by a work queue thread.
  *
  * @param workq_ptr pointer to the work queue structure
@@ -678,6 +727,10 @@ static void work_queue_main(void *workq_ptr, void *p2, void *p3)
 			continue;
 		}
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+		work_timeout_start_locked(queue, work);
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
+
 		k_spin_unlock(&lock, key);
 
 		__ASSERT_NO_MSG(handler != NULL);
@@ -690,6 +743,10 @@ static void work_queue_main(void *workq_ptr, void *p2, void *p3)
 		 */
 		key = k_spin_lock(&lock);
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+		work_timeout_stop_locked(queue);
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
+
 		flag_clear(&work->flags, K_WORK_RUNNING_BIT);
 		if (flag_test(&work->flags, K_WORK_FLUSHING_BIT)) {
 			finalize_flush_locked(work);
@@ -736,6 +793,14 @@ void k_work_queue_run(struct k_work_q *queue, const struct k_work_queue_config *
 		k_thread_name_set(_current, cfg->name);
 	}
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+	if ((cfg != NULL) && (cfg->work_timeout_ms)) {
+		queue->work_timeout = K_MSEC(cfg->work_timeout_ms);
+	} else {
+		queue->work_timeout = K_FOREVER;
+	}
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
+
 	sys_slist_init(&queue->pending);
 	z_waitq_init(&queue->notifyq);
 	z_waitq_init(&queue->drainq);
@@ -784,6 +849,14 @@ void k_work_queue_start(struct k_work_q *queue,
 		queue->thread.base.user_options |= K_ESSENTIAL;
 	}
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)
+	if ((cfg != NULL) && (cfg->work_timeout_ms)) {
+		queue->work_timeout = K_MSEC(cfg->work_timeout_ms);
+	} else {
+		queue->work_timeout = K_FOREVER;
+	}
+#endif /* defined(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT) */
+
 	k_thread_start(&queue->thread);
 	queue->thread_id = &queue->thread;
 

tests/kernel/workq/work_queue/src/work_timeout.c

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Nordic Semiconductor ASA
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#include <zephyr/kernel.h>
+#include <zephyr/ztest.h>
+
+#define TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS     100
+#define TEST_WORK_DURATION_MS    (TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS / 2)
+#define TEST_WORK_DELAY          K_MSEC(TEST_WORK_DURATION_MS * 6)
+#define TEST_WORK_BLOCKING_DELAY K_MSEC(TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS * 2)
+
+static struct k_work_q test_workq;
+static K_KERNEL_STACK_DEFINE(test_workq_stack, CONFIG_MAIN_STACK_SIZE);
+
+static void test_work_handler(struct k_work *work)
+{
+	k_msleep(TEST_WORK_DURATION_MS);
+}
+
+static K_WORK_DEFINE(test_work0, test_work_handler);
+static K_WORK_DEFINE(test_work1, test_work_handler);
+static K_WORK_DEFINE(test_work2, test_work_handler);
+static K_WORK_DEFINE(test_work3, test_work_handler);
+
+static void test_work_handler_blocking(struct k_work *work)
+{
+	k_sleep(K_FOREVER);
+}
+
+static K_WORK_DEFINE(test_work_blocking, test_work_handler_blocking);
+
+static void *test_setup(void)
+{
+	const struct k_work_queue_config config = {
+		.name = "sysworkq",
+		.no_yield = false,
+		.essential = false,
+		.work_timeout_ms = TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS,
+	};
+
+	k_work_queue_start(&test_workq,
+			   test_workq_stack,
+			   K_KERNEL_STACK_SIZEOF(test_workq_stack),
+			   0,
+			   &config);
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+ZTEST_SUITE(workqueue_work_timeout, NULL, test_setup, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
+ZTEST(workqueue_work_timeout, test_work)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	/* Submit multiple items which take less time than TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS each */
+	zassert_equal(k_work_submit_to_queue(&test_workq, &test_work0), 1);
+	zassert_equal(k_work_submit_to_queue(&test_workq, &test_work1), 1);
+	zassert_equal(k_work_submit_to_queue(&test_workq, &test_work2), 1);
+	zassert_equal(k_work_submit_to_queue(&test_workq, &test_work3), 1);
+
+	/*
+	 * Submitted items takes longer than TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS, but each item takes
+	 * less time than TEST_WORK_DELAY so workqueue thread will not be aborted.
+	 */
+	zassert_equal(k_thread_join(&test_workq.thread, TEST_WORK_DELAY), -EAGAIN);
+
+	/* Submit single item which takes longer than TEST_WORK_TIMEOUT_MS */
+	zassert_equal(k_work_submit_to_queue(&test_workq, &test_work_blocking), 1);
+
+	/*
+	 * Submitted item shall cause the work to time out and the workqueue thread be
+	 * aborted if CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT is enabled.
+	 */
+	ret = k_thread_join(&test_workq.thread, TEST_WORK_BLOCKING_DELAY);
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT)) {
+		zassert_equal(ret, 0);
+	} else {
+		zassert_equal(ret, -EAGAIN);
+	}
+}

tests/kernel/workq/work_queue/testcase.yaml

@@ -4,3 +4,10 @@ tests:
     tags:
       - kernel
       - workqueue
+  kernel.workqueue.work_timeout:
+    min_flash: 34
+    tags:
+      - kernel
+      - workqueue
+    extra_configs:
+      - CONFIG_WORKQUEUE_WORK_TIMEOUT=y