diff mbox series

[PATCHv3] toolchain/external: allow custom toolchains to use newer headers

Message ID 20200107205429.11726-1-yann.morin.1998@free.fr
State Changes Requested
Headers show
Series [PATCHv3] toolchain/external: allow custom toolchains to use newer headers | expand

Commit Message

Yann E. MORIN Jan. 7, 2020, 8:54 p.m. UTC
From: Vincent Fazio <vfazio@xes-inc.com>

When Buildroot is released, it knows up to a certain kernel header
version, and no later. However, it is possible that an external
toolchain will be used, that uses headers newer than the latest version
Buildroot knows about.

This may also happen when testing a development, rc-class kernel
version, either in an external toolchain, or with an internal toolchain
with custom headers (same-as-kernel, custom version, custom git,
custom tarball).

In the current state, Buildroot would refuse to use such toolchains,
because the test is for strict equality.

We'd like to make that situation possible, but we also want the user not
to be lenient at the same time, and select the right headers version
when it is known.

So, we add a new Kconfig blind option that the latest kernel headers
version selects. This options is then used to decide whether we do a
strict or loose check of the kernel headers.

Suggested-by: Aaron Sierra <asierra@xes-inc.com>
Signed-off-by: Vincent Fazio <vfazio@xes-inc.com>
[yann.morin.1998@free.fr:
  - only do a loose check for the latest version
  - expand commit log
]
Signed-off-by: Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr>

---
Changes v2 -> v3:  (Yann)
  - also handle the internal toolchain for custom headers
    (noticed by Vincent)

Changes v1 -> v2:  (Yann)
  - make it loose only for the latest version
---
 package/linux-headers/Config.in.host          |  3 +++
 package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk        |  5 +++-
 support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh       | 27 ++++++++++++++++---
 toolchain/Config.in                           |  8 ++++++
 toolchain/helpers.mk                          |  6 ++++-
 .../pkg-toolchain-external.mk                 |  3 ++-
 .../Config.in.options                         |  3 +++
 7 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

Comments

Vincent Fazio Jan. 9, 2020, 5:33 p.m. UTC | #1
Tested-by: Vincent Fazio <vfazio@xes-inc.com>

On 1/7/20 2:54 PM, Yann E. MORIN wrote:
> From: Vincent Fazio <vfazio@xes-inc.com>
>
> When Buildroot is released, it knows up to a certain kernel header
> version, and no later. However, it is possible that an external
> toolchain will be used, that uses headers newer than the latest version
> Buildroot knows about.
>
> This may also happen when testing a development, rc-class kernel
> version, either in an external toolchain, or with an internal toolchain
> with custom headers (same-as-kernel, custom version, custom git,
> custom tarball).
>
> In the current state, Buildroot would refuse to use such toolchains,
> because the test is for strict equality.
>
> We'd like to make that situation possible, but we also want the user not
> to be lenient at the same time, and select the right headers version
> when it is known.
>
> So, we add a new Kconfig blind option that the latest kernel headers
> version selects. This options is then used to decide whether we do a
> strict or loose check of the kernel headers.
>
> Suggested-by: Aaron Sierra <asierra@xes-inc.com>
> Signed-off-by: Vincent Fazio <vfazio@xes-inc.com>
> [yann.morin.1998@free.fr:
>    - only do a loose check for the latest version
>    - expand commit log
> ]
> Signed-off-by: Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr>
>
> ---
> Changes v2 -> v3:  (Yann)
>    - also handle the internal toolchain for custom headers
>      (noticed by Vincent)
>
> Changes v1 -> v2:  (Yann)
>    - make it loose only for the latest version
> ---
>   package/linux-headers/Config.in.host          |  3 +++
>   package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk        |  5 +++-
>   support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh       | 27 ++++++++++++++++---
>   toolchain/Config.in                           |  8 ++++++
>   toolchain/helpers.mk                          |  6 ++++-
>   .../pkg-toolchain-external.mk                 |  3 ++-
>   .../Config.in.options                         |  3 +++
>   7 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host b/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
> index 1b479a5c4d..37d368b8e5 100644
> --- a/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
> +++ b/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
> @@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ choice
>   	  This is used to hide/show some packages that have strict
>   	  requirements on the version of kernel headers.
>   
> +	  If your kernel headers are more recent than the latest version
> +	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
> +
>   config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_5_4
>   	bool "5.4.x"
>   	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4
> diff --git a/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk b/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
> index 676c8c44ea..d653c951fd 100644
> --- a/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
> +++ b/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
> @@ -131,11 +131,14 @@ define LINUX_HEADERS_INSTALL_STAGING_CMDS
>   endef
>   
>   ifeq ($(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_VERSION)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_AS_KERNEL)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_CUSTOM_TARBALL)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_CUSTOM_GIT),y)
> +# In this case, we must always do a 'loose' test, because they are all
> +# custom versions which may be later than what we know right now.
>   define LINUX_HEADERS_CHECK_VERSION
>   	$(call check_kernel_headers_version,\
>   		$(BUILD_DIR),\
>   		$(STAGING_DIR),\
> -		$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)))
> +		$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)),\
> +		loose)
>   endef
>   LINUX_HEADERS_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += LINUX_HEADERS_CHECK_VERSION
>   endif
> diff --git a/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh b/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
> index 9d23c00feb..0f03c6cb34 100755
> --- a/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
> +++ b/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
> @@ -1,9 +1,25 @@
>   #!/bin/sh
>   
> +# This script (and the embedded C code) will check that the actual
> +# headers version match the user told us they were:
> +#
> +# - if both versions are the same, all is well.
> +#
> +# - if the actual headers are older than the user told us, this is
> +#   an error.
> +#
> +# - if the actual headers are more recent than the user told us, and
> +#   we are doing a strict check, then this is an error.
> +#
> +# - if the actual headers are more recent than the user told us, and
> +#   we are doing a loose check, then a warning is printed, but this is
> +#   not an error.
> +
>   BUILDDIR="${1}"
>   SYSROOT="${2}"
>   # Make sure we have enough version components
>   HDR_VER="${3}.0.0"
> +CHECK="${4}"  # 'strict' or 'loose'
>   
>   HDR_M="${HDR_VER%%.*}"
>   HDR_V="${HDR_VER#*.}"
> @@ -32,16 +48,19 @@ ${HOSTCC} -imacros "${SYSROOT}/usr/include/linux/version.h" \
>   int main(int argc __attribute__((unused)),
>            char** argv __attribute__((unused)))
>   {
> -    if((LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF)
> -        != KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0))
> +    int ret = 0;
> +    int l = LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF;
> +    int h = KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0);
> +
> +    if(l != h)
>       {
>           printf("Incorrect selection of kernel headers: ");
>           printf("expected %d.%d.x, got %d.%d.x\n", ${HDR_M}, ${HDR_m},
>                  ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>16) & 0xFF),
>                  ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>8) & 0xFF));
> -        return 1;
> +        ret = ((l >= h ) && ("${CHECK}"[0] == 'l')) ? 0 : 1;
>       }
> -    return 0;
> +    return ret;
>   }
>   _EOF_
>   
> diff --git a/toolchain/Config.in b/toolchain/Config.in
> index 858121d2c5..973c03254f 100644
> --- a/toolchain/Config.in
> +++ b/toolchain/Config.in
> @@ -457,6 +457,14 @@ config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_3
>   config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4
>   	bool
>   	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_3
> +	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST
> +
> +# This should be selected by the latest version, above, to indicate that
> +# Buildroot does not know of more recent headers than the ones selected.
> +# This allows using toolchains with headers more recent than Buildroot
> +# knows about, while still enforcing strict check for older headers.
> +config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST
> +	bool
>   
>   # This order guarantees that the highest version is set, as kconfig
>   # stops affecting a value on the first matching default.
> diff --git a/toolchain/helpers.mk b/toolchain/helpers.mk
> index 996cc70d44..2c2a987c3e 100644
> --- a/toolchain/helpers.mk
> +++ b/toolchain/helpers.mk
> @@ -161,9 +161,13 @@ copy_toolchain_sysroot = \
>   # $1: build directory
>   # $2: sysroot directory
>   # $3: kernel version string, in the form: X.Y
> +# $4: test to do for the latest kernel version, 'strict' or 'loose'
> +#     always 'strict' if this is not the latest version.
>   #
>   check_kernel_headers_version = \
> -	if ! support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh $(1) $(2) $(3); then \
> +	if ! support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh $(1) $(2) $(3) \
> +		$(if $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST),$(4),strict); \
> +	then \
>   		exit 1; \
>   	fi
>   
> diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
> index 1c43409514..b01082aadd 100644
> --- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
> +++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
> @@ -542,7 +542,8 @@ define $(2)_CONFIGURE_CMDS
>   	$$(call check_kernel_headers_version,\
>   		$$(BUILD_DIR)\
>   		$$(call toolchain_find_sysroot,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC)),\
> -		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST))); \
> +		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)),\
> +		$$(if $$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CUSTOM),loose,strict)); \
>   	$$(call check_gcc_version,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC),\
>   		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST))); \
>   	if test "$$(BR2_arm)" = "y" ; then \
> diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> index 665765a104..d7a40e457b 100644
> --- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> +++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> @@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ choice
>   	    m = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 8  ) & 0xFF
>   	    p = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 0  ) & 0xFF
>   
> +	  If your toolchain uses headers newer than the latest version
> +	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
> +
>   config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_HEADERS_5_4
>   	bool "5.4.x"
>   	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4
Thomas Petazzoni Jan. 13, 2020, 4:09 p.m. UTC | #2
Hello,

Thanks for this patch. I just needed it for an internal toolchain that
I'm building with Buildroot 2019.02 (which supported headers 5.0
maximum), but using Linux 5.4. So, the commit title that starts with
"toolchain/external" is a bit incorrect as your implementation, as the
commit log states, also addresses the case of internal toolchain.

Some more comments below.

On Tue,  7 Jan 2020 21:54:29 +0100
"Yann E. MORIN" <yann.morin.1998@free.fr> wrote:

> +	  If your kernel headers are more recent than the latest version
> +	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
> +
>  config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_5_4
>  	bool "5.4.x"

We should probably change the prompt here to:

	bool "5.4.x or later"

and make it an habit of moving this "or later" statement to the most
recent kernel headers option. This is IMO clearer than just the
additional statement in the help text.


>  BUILDDIR="${1}"
>  SYSROOT="${2}"
>  # Make sure we have enough version components
>  HDR_VER="${3}.0.0"
> +CHECK="${4}"  # 'strict' or 'loose'
>  
>  HDR_M="${HDR_VER%%.*}"
>  HDR_V="${HDR_VER#*.}"
> @@ -32,16 +48,19 @@ ${HOSTCC} -imacros "${SYSROOT}/usr/include/linux/version.h" \
>  int main(int argc __attribute__((unused)),
>           char** argv __attribute__((unused)))
>  {
> -    if((LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF)
> -        != KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0))
> +    int ret = 0;
> +    int l = LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF;
> +    int h = KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0);
> +
> +    if(l != h)
>      {
>          printf("Incorrect selection of kernel headers: ");
>          printf("expected %d.%d.x, got %d.%d.x\n", ${HDR_M}, ${HDR_m},
>                 ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>16) & 0xFF),
>                 ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>8) & 0xFF));  
> -        return 1;
> +        ret = ((l >= h ) && ("${CHECK}"[0] == 'l')) ? 0 : 1;

No space before the parenthesis after "h". Also, checking just the
first letter of ${CHECK} seems like a hack. Why not:

	ret = ((l >= h) && !strcmp("${CHECK}", "loose")) ? 0 : 1;

> diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> index 665765a104..d7a40e457b 100644
> --- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> +++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
> @@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ choice
>  	    m = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 8  ) & 0xFF
>  	    p = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 0  ) & 0xFF
>  
> +	  If your toolchain uses headers newer than the latest version
> +	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
> +
>  config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_HEADERS_5_4
>  	bool "5.4.x"

So here as well:

	bool "5.4.x or later"

>  	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4

Thanks!

Thomas
Yann E. MORIN Jan. 13, 2020, 5:20 p.m. UTC | #3
Thomas, All,

On 2020-01-13 17:09 +0100, Thomas Petazzoni spake thusly:
> Thanks for this patch. I just needed it for an internal toolchain that
> I'm building with Buildroot 2019.02 (which supported headers 5.0
> maximum), but using Linux 5.4. So, the commit title that starts with
> "toolchain/external" is a bit incorrect as your implementation, as the
> commit log states, also addresses the case of internal toolchain.

Right, I'll update the commit title.

> Some more comments below.
> 
> On Tue,  7 Jan 2020 21:54:29 +0100
> "Yann E. MORIN" <yann.morin.1998@free.fr> wrote:
> 
> > +	  If your kernel headers are more recent than the latest version
> > +	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
> > +
> >  config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_5_4
> >  	bool "5.4.x"
> 
> We should probably change the prompt here to:
> 
> 	bool "5.4.x or later"
> 
> and make it an habit of moving this "or later" statement to the most
> recent kernel headers option. This is IMO clearer than just the
> additional statement in the help text.

I was a bit worried about the additional burden of updating the headers
versions here and there...

With the patch as proposed, the 'latest' semantic is located in a single
place, and there is a single 'select' to move around, in
toolchain/Config.in:560.

But I can change. The existing prompts will be visible in the diff
context, so should be easy to spot. Hopefully.

> >  BUILDDIR="${1}"
> >  SYSROOT="${2}"
> >  # Make sure we have enough version components
> >  HDR_VER="${3}.0.0"
> > +CHECK="${4}"  # 'strict' or 'loose'
> >  
> >  HDR_M="${HDR_VER%%.*}"
> >  HDR_V="${HDR_VER#*.}"
> > @@ -32,16 +48,19 @@ ${HOSTCC} -imacros "${SYSROOT}/usr/include/linux/version.h" \
> >  int main(int argc __attribute__((unused)),
> >           char** argv __attribute__((unused)))
> >  {
> > -    if((LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF)
> > -        != KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0))
> > +    int ret = 0;
> > +    int l = LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF;
> > +    int h = KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0);
> > +
> > +    if(l != h)
> >      {
> >          printf("Incorrect selection of kernel headers: ");
> >          printf("expected %d.%d.x, got %d.%d.x\n", ${HDR_M}, ${HDR_m},
> >                 ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>16) & 0xFF),
> >                 ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>8) & 0xFF));  
> > -        return 1;
> > +        ret = ((l >= h ) && ("${CHECK}"[0] == 'l')) ? 0 : 1;
> 
> No space before the parenthesis after "h".

Yeah. typo.

> Also, checking just the
> first letter of ${CHECK} seems like a hack. Why not:
> 	ret = ((l >= h) && !strcmp("${CHECK}", "loose")) ? 0 : 1;

Can do. Done.

Regards,
Yann E. MORIN.
diff mbox series

Patch

diff --git a/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host b/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
index 1b479a5c4d..37d368b8e5 100644
--- a/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
+++ b/package/linux-headers/Config.in.host
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@  choice
 	  This is used to hide/show some packages that have strict
 	  requirements on the version of kernel headers.
 
+	  If your kernel headers are more recent than the latest version
+	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_5_4
 	bool "5.4.x"
 	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4
diff --git a/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk b/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
index 676c8c44ea..d653c951fd 100644
--- a/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
+++ b/package/linux-headers/linux-headers.mk
@@ -131,11 +131,14 @@  define LINUX_HEADERS_INSTALL_STAGING_CMDS
 endef
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_VERSION)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_AS_KERNEL)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_CUSTOM_TARBALL)$(BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_CUSTOM_GIT),y)
+# In this case, we must always do a 'loose' test, because they are all
+# custom versions which may be later than what we know right now.
 define LINUX_HEADERS_CHECK_VERSION
 	$(call check_kernel_headers_version,\
 		$(BUILD_DIR),\
 		$(STAGING_DIR),\
-		$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)))
+		$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)),\
+		loose)
 endef
 LINUX_HEADERS_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += LINUX_HEADERS_CHECK_VERSION
 endif
diff --git a/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh b/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
index 9d23c00feb..0f03c6cb34 100755
--- a/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
+++ b/support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,25 @@ 
 #!/bin/sh
 
+# This script (and the embedded C code) will check that the actual
+# headers version match the user told us they were:
+#
+# - if both versions are the same, all is well.
+#
+# - if the actual headers are older than the user told us, this is
+#   an error.
+#
+# - if the actual headers are more recent than the user told us, and
+#   we are doing a strict check, then this is an error.
+#
+# - if the actual headers are more recent than the user told us, and
+#   we are doing a loose check, then a warning is printed, but this is
+#   not an error.
+
 BUILDDIR="${1}"
 SYSROOT="${2}"
 # Make sure we have enough version components
 HDR_VER="${3}.0.0"
+CHECK="${4}"  # 'strict' or 'loose'
 
 HDR_M="${HDR_VER%%.*}"
 HDR_V="${HDR_VER#*.}"
@@ -32,16 +48,19 @@  ${HOSTCC} -imacros "${SYSROOT}/usr/include/linux/version.h" \
 int main(int argc __attribute__((unused)),
          char** argv __attribute__((unused)))
 {
-    if((LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF)
-        != KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0))
+    int ret = 0;
+    int l = LINUX_VERSION_CODE & ~0xFF;
+    int h = KERNEL_VERSION(${HDR_M},${HDR_m},0);
+
+    if(l != h)
     {
         printf("Incorrect selection of kernel headers: ");
         printf("expected %d.%d.x, got %d.%d.x\n", ${HDR_M}, ${HDR_m},
                ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>16) & 0xFF),
                ((LINUX_VERSION_CODE>>8) & 0xFF));
-        return 1;
+        ret = ((l >= h ) && ("${CHECK}"[0] == 'l')) ? 0 : 1;
     }
-    return 0;
+    return ret;
 }
 _EOF_
 
diff --git a/toolchain/Config.in b/toolchain/Config.in
index 858121d2c5..973c03254f 100644
--- a/toolchain/Config.in
+++ b/toolchain/Config.in
@@ -457,6 +457,14 @@  config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_3
 config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4
 	bool
 	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_3
+	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST
+
+# This should be selected by the latest version, above, to indicate that
+# Buildroot does not know of more recent headers than the ones selected.
+# This allows using toolchains with headers more recent than Buildroot
+# knows about, while still enforcing strict check for older headers.
+config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST
+	bool
 
 # This order guarantees that the highest version is set, as kconfig
 # stops affecting a value on the first matching default.
diff --git a/toolchain/helpers.mk b/toolchain/helpers.mk
index 996cc70d44..2c2a987c3e 100644
--- a/toolchain/helpers.mk
+++ b/toolchain/helpers.mk
@@ -161,9 +161,13 @@  copy_toolchain_sysroot = \
 # $1: build directory
 # $2: sysroot directory
 # $3: kernel version string, in the form: X.Y
+# $4: test to do for the latest kernel version, 'strict' or 'loose'
+#     always 'strict' if this is not the latest version.
 #
 check_kernel_headers_version = \
-	if ! support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh $(1) $(2) $(3); then \
+	if ! support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh $(1) $(2) $(3) \
+		$(if $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_LATEST),$(4),strict); \
+	then \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
index 1c43409514..b01082aadd 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
@@ -542,7 +542,8 @@  define $(2)_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	$$(call check_kernel_headers_version,\
 		$$(BUILD_DIR)\
 		$$(call toolchain_find_sysroot,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC)),\
-		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST))); \
+		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST)),\
+		$$(if $$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CUSTOM),loose,strict)); \
 	$$(call check_gcc_version,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC),\
 		$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST))); \
 	if test "$$(BR2_arm)" = "y" ; then \
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
index 665765a104..d7a40e457b 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@  choice
 	    m = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 8  ) & 0xFF
 	    p = ( LINUX_VERSION_CODE >> 0  ) & 0xFF
 
+	  If your toolchain uses headers newer than the latest version
+	  in the choice, then select the latest version.
+
 config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_HEADERS_5_4
 	bool "5.4.x"
 	select BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST_5_4