pin tun reader threads to CPUs so per-flow packets keep wire order

Each listenIn goroutine locks its OS thread and pins it to one CPU
(sched_setaffinity), so every UDP send from that goroutine leaves
through the same XPS-selected NIC TX ring instead of being sprayed
across rings and reordered. On by default via tun.pin_threads; queue i
pins to the i-th entry of the process's allowed CPU set (respecting
cpuset/taskset masks, whose IDs are often not 0..NumCPU-1), or to an
explicit tun.cpu_affinity list, validated against that same allowed
set. Linux only; pinning is a no-op elsewhere.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.github/actions/code-sign/action.yml

@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: "code-signer"
   key-prefix:
-    description: "S3 key prefix the caller is authorized to write under"
+    description: "S3 key prefix to write under; defaults to code-signing/<owner>/<repo> of the calling repo"
     required: false
-    default: "code-signing/slackhq/nebula"
+    default: ""
 
 runs:
   using: composite
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ runs:
         KEY_PREFIX: ${{ inputs.key-prefix }}
       run: |
         set -eu
+        # Default the prefix to this repo so the S3 key attributes the sign correctly.
+        # nebula-nightly runs this same action but writes under its own repo's prefix.
+        KEY_PREFIX="${KEY_PREFIX:-code-signing/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
         RUN="${GITHUB_RUN_ID}-${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}"
 
         find "$SIGN_PATH" -name '*.exe' -print | while read -r path

cmd/nebula-service/main.go

@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ func main() {
 	l := logging.NewLogger(os.Stdout)
 
 	if *serviceFlag != "" {
-		if err := doService(configPath, configTest, Build, serviceFlag); err != nil {
+		if *configTest {
+			fmt.Println("-test is not supported with -service, run the config test without -service")
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		if err := doService(configPath, Build, serviceFlag); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Service command failed", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
@@ -93,15 +98,14 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if !*configTest {
-		wait, err := ctrl.Start()
+		if err := ctrl.Start(); err != nil {
-		if err != nil {
 			util.LogWithContextIfNeeded("Error while running", err, l)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
 		go ctrl.ShutdownBlock()
 
-		if err := wait(); err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Wait(); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Nebula stopped due to fatal error", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(2)
 		}

cmd/nebula-service/service.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/kardianos/service"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula"
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ var logger service.Logger
 
 type program struct {
 	configPath *string
-	configTest *bool
 	build      string
 	control    *nebula.Control
 }
@@ -40,22 +40,41 @@ func (p *program) Start(s service.Service) error {
 		}
 	})
 
-	p.control, err = nebula.Main(c, *p.configTest, Build, l, nil)
+	p.control, err = nebula.Main(c, false, Build, l, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	p.control.Start()
+	if err := p.control.Start(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Nebula can stop itself on a fatal packet reader error, make sure to log it if it happens.
+	go func() {
+		if err := p.control.Wait(); err != nil {
+			logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Nebula stopped due to fatal error: %v", err))
+			os.Exit(2)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (p *program) Stop(s service.Service) error {
 	logger.Info("Nebula service stopping.")
+	if p.control == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	p.control.Stop()
+
+	// block until nebula has fully drained before reporting stopped.
+	// error logging is handled by Start.
+	_ = p.control.Wait()
 	return nil
 }
 
-func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *string) error {
+func doService(configPath *string, build string, serviceFlag *string) error {
 	if *configPath == "" {
 		p, err := config.DefaultPath()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -73,7 +92,6 @@ func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *
 
 	prg := &program{
 		configPath: configPath,
-		configTest: configTest,
 		build:      build,
 	}
 
@@ -105,8 +123,9 @@ func doService(configPath *string, configTest *bool, build string, serviceFlag *
 	switch *serviceFlag {
 	case "run":
 		if err := s.Run(); err != nil {
-			// Route any errors to the system logger
+			// Route any errors to the system logger and report the failure
 			logger.Error(err)
+			return err
 		}
 	default:
 		if err := service.Control(s, *serviceFlag); err != nil {

cmd/nebula/main.go

@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if !*configTest {
-		wait, err := ctrl.Start()
+		if err := ctrl.Start(); err != nil {
-		if err != nil {
 			util.LogWithContextIfNeeded("Error while running", err, l)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ func main() {
 		go ctrl.ShutdownBlock()
 		notifyReady(l)
 
-		if err := wait(); err != nil {
+		if err := ctrl.Wait(); err != nil {
 			l.Error("Nebula stopped due to fatal error", "error", err)
 			os.Exit(2)
 		}

control.go

@@ -69,29 +69,29 @@ type ControlHostInfo struct {
 }
 
 // Start actually runs nebula, this is a nonblocking call.
-// The returned function blocks until nebula has fully stopped and returns the
+// Use Wait to block until nebula has fully stopped and to learn whether a fatal reader error caused the shutdown.
-// first fatal reader error (if any). A nil error means nebula shut down
+func (c *Control) Start() error {
-// gracefully; a non-nil error means a reader hit an unexpected failure that
-// triggered the shutdown.
-func (c *Control) Start() (func() error, error) {
 	c.stateLock.Lock()
 	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
 	switch c.state {
 	case StateReady:
 		//yay!
 	case StateStopped, StateStopping:
-		return nil, ErrAlreadyStopped
+		return ErrAlreadyStopped
 	case StateStarted:
-		return nil, ErrAlreadyStarted
+		return ErrAlreadyStarted
 	default:
-		return nil, ErrUnknownState
+		return ErrUnknownState
 	}
 
 	// Activate the interface
 	err := c.f.activate()
 	if err != nil {
+		// Cancel before Close so a caller returning from Wait always observes a dead Context
+		c.cancel()
+		_ = c.f.Close()
 		c.state = StateStopped
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Call all the delayed funcs that waited patiently for the interface to be created.
@@ -114,13 +114,9 @@ func (c *Control) Start() (func() error, error) {
 	c.f.triggerShutdown = c.Stop
 
 	// Start reading packets.
-	out, err := c.f.run()
+	c.f.run()
-	if err != nil {
-		c.state = StateStopped
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	c.state = StateStarted
-	return out, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Control) State() RunState {
@@ -133,10 +129,26 @@ func (c *Control) Context() context.Context {
 	return c.ctx
 }
 
-// Stop is a non-blocking call that signals nebula to close all tunnels and shut down
+// Stop tears nebula down, closing all tunnels and releasing everything it holds.
+// Use Wait to block until the shutdown has completed.
+// A Control that has been stopped cannot be started again, Start will return ErrAlreadyStopped.
 func (c *Control) Stop() {
 	c.stateLock.Lock()
-	if c.state != StateStarted {
+	switch c.state {
+	case StateStarted:
+		// Fall through to the full teardown below
+
+	case StateReady:
+		// Never started
+		c.cancel()
+		c.state = StateStopped
+		if err := c.f.Close(); err != nil {
+			c.l.Error("Close interface failed", "error", err)
+		}
+		c.stateLock.Unlock()
+		return
+
+	default:
 		c.stateLock.Unlock()
 		// We are stopping or stopped already
 		return
@@ -145,19 +157,26 @@ func (c *Control) Stop() {
 	c.state = StateStopping
 	c.stateLock.Unlock()
 
-	// Stop the handshakeManager (and other services), to prevent new tunnels from
+	// Closing tunnels can be slow with a large hostmap, don't hold the lock for it
-	// being created while we're shutting them all down.
 	c.cancel()
-
 	c.CloseAllTunnels(false)
+
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	c.state = StateStopped
 	if err := c.f.Close(); err != nil {
 		c.l.Error("Close interface failed", "error", err)
 	}
-	c.stateLock.Lock()
-	c.state = StateStopped
 	c.stateLock.Unlock()
 }
 
+// Wait blocks until nebula has fully stopped, either via Stop or an internal fatal error,
+// and returns the first fatal packet reader error if there was one.
+// It is safe to call from multiple goroutines and at any point in the lifecycle,
+// but a Wait on a Control that is never started and never stopped will block forever.
+func (c *Control) Wait() error {
+	return c.f.wait()
+}
+
 // ShutdownBlock will listen for and block on term and interrupt signals, calling Control.Stop() once signalled
 func (c *Control) ShutdownBlock() {
 	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
@@ -170,8 +189,15 @@ func (c *Control) ShutdownBlock() {
 	c.Stop()
 }
 
-// RebindUDPServer asks the UDP listener to rebind it's listener. Mainly used on mobile clients when interfaces change
+// RebindUDPServer asks the UDP listener to rebind it's listener. Mainly used on mobile clients when interfaces change.
 func (c *Control) RebindUDPServer() {
+	c.stateLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stateLock.Unlock()
+
+	if c.state != StateStarted {
+		return
+	}
+
 	_ = c.f.outside.Rebind()
 
 	// Trigger a lighthouse update, useful for mobile clients that should have an update interval of 0

control_lifecycle_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,296 @@
+package nebula
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"net/netip"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/test"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+type fakeDevice struct {
+	closeOnce sync.Once
+	closedCh  chan struct{}
+	closed    bool
+}
+
+func newFakeDevice() *fakeDevice {
+	return &fakeDevice{closedCh: make(chan struct{})}
+}
+
+// Read blocks until Close like a real tun with no traffic, then reports EOF
+// the same way a closed device does
+func (d *fakeDevice) Read() ([]tio.Packet, error) {
+	<-d.closedCh
+	return nil, io.EOF
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return len(p), nil }
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Close() error {
+	d.closeOnce.Do(func() {
+		d.closed = true
+		close(d.closedCh)
+	})
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Activate() error                       { return nil }
+func (d *fakeDevice) Networks() []netip.Prefix              { return nil }
+func (d *fakeDevice) Name() string                          { return "fake" }
+func (d *fakeDevice) RoutesFor(netip.Addr) routing.Gateways { return nil }
+
+func (d *fakeDevice) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) { return []tio.Queue{d}, nil }
+
+// newReadyControl hand-builds the minimum Control that Main would have
+// produced right before Start, including the construction token NewInterface
+// takes so waiters block until Close releases the resources
+func newReadyControl(t *testing.T) (*Control, *fakeDevice, *fakeConn) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	dev := newFakeDevice()
+	conn := &fakeConn{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	myVpnNet := netip.MustParsePrefix("10.128.0.1/16")
+	nt := new(bart.Lite)
+	nt.Insert(myVpnNet)
+	cs := &CertState{
+		myVpnNetworks:      []netip.Prefix{myVpnNet},
+		myVpnNetworksTable: nt,
+	}
+	lh, err := NewLightHouseFromConfig(ctx, l, config.NewC(l), cs, nil, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	f := &Interface{
+		ctx:        ctx,
+		inside:     dev,
+		outside:    conn,
+		writers:    []udp.Conn{conn},
+		routines:   1,
+		hostMap:    newHostMap(l),
+		lightHouse: lh,
+		l:          l,
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	return &Control{
+		state:  StateReady,
+		f:      f,
+		l:      l,
+		ctx:    ctx,
+		cancel: cancel,
+	}, dev, conn
+}
+
+func TestControl_StopBeforeStart(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// A Stop on a never started control must release everything Main acquired
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled, "the service context should have been cancelled")
+
+	// Wait must return promptly now that the resources are released
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+
+	// A stopped control can never be started
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+
+	// A second Stop is a harmless no-op
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+}
+
+func TestControl_WaitBlocksUntilStop(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, _ := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { done <- c.Wait() }()
+
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+		t.Fatal("Wait returned before Stop")
+	case <-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+
+	c.Stop()
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Wait did not return after Stop")
+	}
+}
+
+type fakeConn struct {
+	closed  bool
+	rebinds int
+}
+
+func (c *fakeConn) Rebind() error                            { c.rebinds++; return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error)       { return netip.AddrPort{}, nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) ListenOut(_ udp.EncReader) error          { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort) error { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) ReloadConfig(_ *config.C)                 {}
+func (c *fakeConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool            { return true }
+func (c *fakeConn) Close() error                             { c.closed = true; return nil }
+
+type multiqueueDevice struct {
+	*fakeDevice
+}
+
+// Queues claims multiqueue support but fails to open the second queue,
+// exercising the activation error path.
+func (d *multiqueueDevice) Queues(n int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
+	if n > 1 {
+		return nil, errors.New("second queue failed to open")
+	}
+	return d.fakeDevice.Queues(n)
+}
+
+func TestControl_StartMultiqueueFailureReleases(t *testing.T) {
+	dev := &multiqueueDevice{fakeDevice: newFakeDevice()}
+	conn := &fakeConn{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	f := &Interface{
+		ctx:      ctx,
+		inside:   dev,
+		outside:  conn,
+		writers:  []udp.Conn{conn},
+		routines: 2,
+		l:        test.NewLogger(),
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	c := &Control{
+		state:  StateReady,
+		f:      f,
+		l:      test.NewLogger(),
+		ctx:    ctx,
+		cancel: cancel,
+	}
+
+	// The second reader fails to open, everything must be released
+	require.Error(t, c.Start())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled)
+
+	// And Wait must not hang on the construction token
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+}
+
+func TestInterface_CloseIsIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	dev := newFakeDevice()
+	f := &Interface{
+		inside: dev,
+		l:      test.NewLogger(),
+	}
+	f.wg.Add(1)
+
+	require.NoError(t, f.Close())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed)
+
+	// A second Close must not double release the wg token or the device
+	require.NoError(t, f.Close())
+	require.NoError(t, f.wait())
+}
+
+func TestControl_FatalErrorReportsThroughWait(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// Mirror what Start wires up, without needing real packet readers
+	c.f.triggerShutdown = c.Stop
+	c.state = StateStarted
+
+	boom := errors.New("boom")
+	c.f.onFatal(boom)
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed)
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed)
+
+	// A second fatal error must not fire the shutdown again or replace the first
+	c.f.onFatal(errors.New("later"))
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+
+	// Wait stays factual, a Stop after the death does not mask the error
+	c.Stop()
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Wait(), boom)
+}
+
+func TestControl_ConcurrentStopAndStart(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, _ := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		wg.Go(func() { c.Stop() })
+	}
+	wg.Go(func() { _ = c.Start() })
+	wg.Go(func() {
+		_ = c.Wait()
+		// A returned Wait must always observe the final state, no matter how
+		// the race resolved
+		assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	})
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	// However the race resolves, the control must end fully stopped with no
+	// panic and Wait must observe the final state
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+}
+
+func TestControl_StartStopLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
+	c, dev, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	require.NoError(t, c.Start())
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStarted, c.State())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStarted)
+
+	// Stop must unpark the reader blocked in the device and release everything
+	c.Stop()
+	assert.Equal(t, StateStopped, c.State())
+	assert.True(t, dev.closed, "the tun device should have been closed")
+	assert.True(t, conn.closed, "the udp socket should have been closed")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.ctx.Err(), context.Canceled)
+
+	// The reader drained off a closed device, that is not a fatal error
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	require.ErrorIs(t, c.Start(), ErrAlreadyStopped)
+}
+
+func TestControl_RebindIsGatedByState(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _, conn := newReadyControl(t)
+
+	// A rebind before Start reaches nothing, the interface is not up
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, conn.rebinds, "rebind before start must be a no-op")
+
+	require.NoError(t, c.Start())
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, conn.rebinds, "rebind while started must reach the conn")
+
+	// A rebind racing a completed stop must not touch the closed conn
+	c.Stop()
+	require.NoError(t, c.Wait())
+	c.RebindUDPServer()
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, conn.rebinds, "rebind after stop must be a no-op")
+}

control_tester.go

@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ func (c *Control) GetHostmap() *HostMap {
 	return c.f.hostMap
 }
 
+// GetHostmapIndexCount returns the number of entries in the main hostmap Indexes table, holding
+// the hostmap read lock so tests can poll it while connection manager churns tunnels.
+func (c *Control) GetHostmapIndexCount() int {
+	c.f.hostMap.RLock()
+	defer c.f.hostMap.RUnlock()
+	return len(c.f.hostMap.Indexes)
+}
+
 func (c *Control) GetF() *Interface {
 	return c.f
 }

e2e/handshakes_test.go

@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ func TestStage1Race(t *testing.T) {
 
 	r.Log("Spin until connection manager tears down a tunnel")
 
-	for len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)+len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) > 2 {
+	for myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()+theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() > 2 {
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 		t.Log("Connection manager hasn't ticked yet")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
@@ -453,9 +453,11 @@ func TestUncleanShutdownRaceLoser(t *testing.T) {
 
 	r.Log("Nuke my hostmap")
 	myHostmap := myControl.GetHostmap()
+	myHostmap.Lock()
 	myHostmap.Hosts = map[netip.Addr]*nebula.HostInfo{}
 	myHostmap.Indexes = map[uint32]*nebula.HostInfo{}
 	myHostmap.RemoteIndexes = map[uint32]*nebula.HostInfo{}
+	myHostmap.Unlock()
 
 	myControl.InjectTunPacket(BuildTunUDPPacket(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, []byte("Hi from me again")))
 	p = r.RouteForAllUntilTxTun(theirControl)
@@ -465,10 +467,10 @@ func TestUncleanShutdownRaceLoser(t *testing.T) {
 	assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 
 	r.Log("Wait for the dead index to go away")
-	start := len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+	start := theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 	for {
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
-		if len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) < start {
+		if theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() < start {
 			break
 		}
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
@@ -504,9 +506,11 @@ func TestUncleanShutdownRaceWinner(t *testing.T) {
 
 	r.Log("Nuke my hostmap")
 	theirHostmap := theirControl.GetHostmap()
+	theirHostmap.Lock()
 	theirHostmap.Hosts = map[netip.Addr]*nebula.HostInfo{}
 	theirHostmap.Indexes = map[uint32]*nebula.HostInfo{}
 	theirHostmap.RemoteIndexes = map[uint32]*nebula.HostInfo{}
+	theirHostmap.Unlock()
 
 	theirControl.InjectTunPacket(BuildTunUDPPacket(myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, []byte("Hi from them again")))
 	p = r.RouteForAllUntilTxTun(myControl)
@@ -517,10 +521,10 @@ func TestUncleanShutdownRaceWinner(t *testing.T) {
 	assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 
 	r.Log("Wait for the dead index to go away")
-	start := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+	start := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 	for {
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
-		if len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) < start {
+		if myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() < start {
 			break
 		}
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
@@ -628,10 +632,10 @@ func TestReestablishRelays(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Log("Close the tunnel")
 	relayControl.CloseTunnel(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), true)
 
-	start := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+	start := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
-	curIndexes := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+	curIndexes := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 	for curIndexes >= start {
-		curIndexes = len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		curIndexes = myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 		r.Logf("Wait for the dead index to go away:start=%v indexes, current=%v indexes", start, curIndexes)
 		myControl.InjectTunPacket(BuildTunUDPPacket(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, []byte("Hi from me should fail")))
 
@@ -819,18 +823,18 @@ func TestStage1RaceRelays2(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Log("Wait until we remove extra tunnels")
 	t.Logf("Waiting for hostinfos to be removed... myControl=%d theirControl=%d relayControl=%d",
-		len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+		myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
-		len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+		theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
-		len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+		relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
 	)
-	hostInfos := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) + len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) + len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+	hostInfos := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() + theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() + relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 	retries := 60
 	for hostInfos > 6 && retries > 0 {
-		hostInfos = len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) + len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) + len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		hostInfos = myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() + theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() + relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 		t.Logf("Waiting for hostinfos to be removed... myControl=%d theirControl=%d relayControl=%d",
-			len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+			myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
-			len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+			theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
-			len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes),
+			relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount(),
 		)
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 		t.Log("Connection manager hasn't ticked yet")
@@ -924,24 +928,24 @@ func TestRehandshakingRelays(t *testing.T) {
 	assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 	r.RenderHostmaps("working hostmaps", myControl, relayControl, theirControl)
 	// We should have two hostinfos on all sides
-	for len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for myControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for myControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 	}
 	t.Logf("myControl hostinfos got cleaned up!")
-	for len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for theirControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for theirControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 	}
 	t.Logf("theirControl hostinfos got cleaned up!")
-	for len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for relayControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for relayControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
@@ -1029,24 +1033,24 @@ func TestRehandshakingRelaysPrimary(t *testing.T) {
 	assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 	r.RenderHostmaps("working hostmaps", myControl, relayControl, theirControl)
 	// We should have two hostinfos on all sides
-	for len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for myControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for myControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 	}
 	t.Logf("myControl hostinfos got cleaned up!")
-	for len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for theirControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for theirControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 	}
 	t.Logf("theirControl hostinfos got cleaned up!")
-	for len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) != 2 {
+	for relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() != 2 {
-		t.Logf("Waiting for relayControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", len(relayControl.GetHostmap().Indexes))
+		t.Logf("Waiting for relayControl hostinfos (%v != 2) to get cleaned up from lack of use...", relayControl.GetHostmapIndexCount())
 		r.Log("Assert the relay tunnel still works")
 		assertTunnel(t, theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirControl, myControl, r)
 		r.Log("yupitdoes")
@@ -1123,7 +1127,7 @@ func TestRehandshaking(t *testing.T) {
 	theirConfig.ReloadConfigString(string(rc))
 
 	r.Log("Spin until there is only 1 tunnel")
-	for len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)+len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) > 2 {
+	for myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()+theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() > 2 {
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 		t.Log("Connection manager hasn't ticked yet")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
@@ -1223,7 +1227,7 @@ func TestRehandshakingLoser(t *testing.T) {
 	myConfig.ReloadConfigString(string(rc))
 
 	r.Log("Spin until there is only 1 tunnel")
-	for len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)+len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes) > 2 {
+	for myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()+theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount() > 2 {
 		assertTunnel(t, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myControl, theirControl, r)
 		t.Log("Connection manager hasn't ticked yet")
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)

e2e/tunnels_test.go

@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ func TestDropInactiveTunnels(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Log("Go inactive and wait for the tunnels to get dropped")
 	waitStart := time.Now()
 	for {
-		myIndexes := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		myIndexes := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
-		theirIndexes := len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		theirIndexes := theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 		if myIndexes == 0 && theirIndexes == 0 {
 			break
 		}
@@ -493,8 +493,8 @@ func TestCloseTunnelAuthenticated(t *testing.T) {
 
 	waitStart := time.Now()
 	for {
-		myIndexes := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		myIndexes := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
-		theirIndexes := len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		theirIndexes := theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 		if myIndexes == 0 && theirIndexes == 0 {
 			break
 		}
@@ -548,8 +548,8 @@ func TestCloseTunnelAuthenticated(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Log("Injected bogus close tunnel. Let's see!")
 	waitStart = time.Now()
 	for {
-		myIndexes := len(myControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		myIndexes := myControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
-		theirIndexes := len(theirControl.GetHostmap().Indexes)
+		theirIndexes := theirControl.GetHostmapIndexCount()
 		if myIndexes == 0 {
 			t.Fatal("myIndexes should not be 0")
 		}

examples/config.yml

@@ -242,10 +242,6 @@ tun:
   # When tun is disabled, a lighthouse can be started without a local tun interface (and therefore without root)
   disabled: false
   # Name of the device. If not set, a default will be chosen by the OS.
-  # For Linux: a single `%d` anywhere in the name is treated as a template and replaced with the
-  #   lowest number that yields an unused device name (e.g. `nebula%d` becomes `nebula0`, then `nebula1`, and so on, `neb%dprod` becomes `neb0prod`).
-  #   Only on Linux: `nebula%d` is the default if tun.dev is unset.
-  #   The resulting name must be shorter than the kernel limit of 16 characters.
   # For macOS: if set, must be in the form `utun[0-9]+`.
   # For NetBSD: Required to be set, must be in the form `tun[0-9]+`
   dev: nebula1
@@ -258,6 +254,20 @@ tun:
   # Default MTU for every packet, safe setting is (and the default) 1300 for internet based traffic
   mtu: 1300
 
+  # Linux only. pin_threads pins each tun reader/encrypt OS thread to a single CPU. This keeps every goroutine's
+  # sends flowing through one XPS-selected NIC TX ring, so packets within a flow stay ordered on the wire
+  # instead of being sprayed across multiple TX rings and reordered. Not reloadable.
+  #pin_threads: true
+
+  # Linux only. cpu_affinity overrides which CPUs the tun reader threads pin to: a list of CPU IDs, one per routine
+  # (see the top-level `routines` setting). Lists shorter than `routines` are modulo-cycled across the queues; extra
+  # entries are ignored. IDs must be within the process's allowed CPU set, so this respects taskset / cgroup cpusets;
+  # a non-integer or not-allowed entry disables the override and falls back to spreading queues across the allowed
+  # CPUs. Only meaningful while pin_threads is true. Not reloadable.
+  #cpu_affinity:
+  #  - 2
+  #  - 4
+
   # Route based MTU overrides, you have known vpn ip paths that can support larger MTUs you can increase/decrease them here
   routes:
     #- mtu: 8800

firewall.go

@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ type Firewall struct {
 	InRules  *FirewallTable
 	OutRules *FirewallTable
 
-	InSendReject  bool
+	InboundSendReject  bool
-	OutSendReject bool
+	OutboundSendReject bool
 
 	//TODO: we should have many more options for TCP, an option for ICMP, and mimic the kernel a bit better
 	// https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/networking/nf_conntrack-sysctl.txt
@@ -216,23 +216,23 @@ func NewFirewallFromConfig(l *slog.Logger, cs *CertState, c *config.C) (*Firewal
 	inboundAction := c.GetString("firewall.inbound_action", "drop")
 	switch inboundAction {
 	case "reject":
-		fw.InSendReject = true
+		fw.InboundSendReject = true
 	case "drop":
-		fw.InSendReject = false
+		fw.InboundSendReject = false
 	default:
 		l.Warn("invalid firewall.inbound_action, defaulting to `drop`", "action", inboundAction)
-		fw.InSendReject = false
+		fw.InboundSendReject = false
 	}
 
 	outboundAction := c.GetString("firewall.outbound_action", "drop")
 	switch outboundAction {
 	case "reject":
-		fw.OutSendReject = true
+		fw.OutboundSendReject = true
 	case "drop":
-		fw.OutSendReject = false
+		fw.OutboundSendReject = false
 	default:
 		l.Warn("invalid firewall.outbound_action, defaulting to `drop`", "action", outboundAction)
-		fw.OutSendReject = false
+		fw.OutboundSendReject = false
 	}
 
 	err := AddFirewallRulesFromConfig(l, false, c, fw)

handshake_manager.go

@@ -430,14 +430,11 @@ func (hm *HandshakeManager) CheckAndComplete(hostinfo *HostInfo, handshakePacket
 	// Check if we already have a tunnel with this vpn ip
 	existingHostInfo, found := hm.mainHostMap.Hosts[hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0]]
 	if found && existingHostInfo != nil {
-		testHostInfo := existingHostInfo
+		// Is it just a delayed handshake packet? Check every hostinfo we hold for this address.
-		for testHostInfo != nil {
+		for _, testHostInfo := range hm.mainHostMap.unlockedGetHostList(hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0]) {
-			// Is it just a delayed handshake packet?
 			if bytes.Equal(hostinfo.HandshakePacket[handshakePacket], testHostInfo.HandshakePacket[handshakePacket]) {
 				return testHostInfo, ErrAlreadySeen
 			}
-
-			testHostInfo = testHostInfo.next
 		}
 
 		// Is this a newer handshake?

hostmap.go

@@ -56,11 +56,20 @@ type Relay struct {
 }
 
 type HostMap struct {
-	sync.RWMutex    //Because we concurrently read and write to our maps
+	sync.RWMutex  //Because we concurrently read and write to our maps
-	Indexes         map[uint32]*HostInfo
+	Indexes       map[uint32]*HostInfo
-	Relays          map[uint32]*HostInfo // Maps a Relay IDX to a Relay HostInfo object
+	Relays        map[uint32]*HostInfo // Maps a Relay IDX to a Relay HostInfo object
-	RemoteIndexes   map[uint32]*HostInfo
+	RemoteIndexes map[uint32]*HostInfo
+	// Hosts maps a vpn address to its primary hostinfo, one entry per address we hold a tunnel
+	// for. moreHosts only has an entry while an address is held by 2 or more hostinfos and stores
+	// the full most-recent-first list; moreHosts[a][0] is always the same hostinfo as Hosts[a].
+	// Each address gets its own independent list, so a hostinfo owning multiple addresses can
+	// never corrupt another address's ordering the way the old shared next/prev chain could.
+	// Entries in moreHosts are only ever written by unlockedSetHostsForAddr; Hosts is written
+	// directly only in the single-hostinfo fast paths where moreHosts is known to have no entry,
+	// and unlockedDeleteHostInfo swaps either map for a fresh one when it fully drains.
 	Hosts           map[netip.Addr]*HostInfo
+	moreHosts       map[netip.Addr][]*HostInfo
 	preferredRanges atomic.Pointer[[]netip.Prefix]
 	l               *slog.Logger
 }
@@ -266,10 +275,6 @@ type HostInfo struct {
 	lastRoam       time.Time
 	lastRoamRemote netip.AddrPort
 
-	// Used to track other hostinfos for this vpn ip since only 1 can be primary
-	// Synchronised via hostmap lock and not the hostinfo lock.
-	next, prev *HostInfo
-
 	//TODO: in, out, and others might benefit from being an atomic.Int32. We could collapse connectionManager pendingDeletion, relayUsed, and in/out into this 1 thing
 	in, out, pendingDeletion atomic.Bool
 
@@ -334,6 +339,7 @@ func newHostMap(l *slog.Logger) *HostMap {
 		Relays:        map[uint32]*HostInfo{},
 		RemoteIndexes: map[uint32]*HostInfo{},
 		Hosts:         map[netip.Addr]*HostInfo{},
+		moreHosts:     map[netip.Addr][]*HostInfo{},
 		l:             l,
 	}
 }
@@ -382,13 +388,55 @@ func (hm *HostMap) EmitStats() {
 	metrics.GetOrRegisterGauge("hostmap.main.relayIndexes", nil).Update(int64(relaysLen))
 }
 
-// DeleteHostInfo will fully unlink the hostinfo and return true if it was the final hostinfo for this vpn ip
+// unlockedSetHostsForAddr stores the per-address hostinfo list (list[0] is the primary). An empty
+// list removes the address. This is the one place Hosts and moreHosts are written together, keep
+// it that way. Callers must hold the write lock.
+func (hm *HostMap) unlockedSetHostsForAddr(addr netip.Addr, list []*HostInfo) {
+	if len(list) == 0 {
+		delete(hm.Hosts, addr)
+		delete(hm.moreHosts, addr)
+		return
+	}
+	hm.Hosts[addr] = list[0]
+	if len(list) > 1 {
+		hm.moreHosts[addr] = list
+	} else {
+		delete(hm.moreHosts, addr)
+	}
+}
+
+// unlockedGetHostList returns every hostinfo holding addr, primary first, or nil if we have no
+// tunnel for addr. The common single-hostinfo case builds a fresh one element list, so keep this
+// off the packet hot path; the primary is a direct Hosts read. Callers must hold the lock (read
+// or write).
+func (hm *HostMap) unlockedGetHostList(addr netip.Addr) []*HostInfo {
+	if list, ok := hm.moreHosts[addr]; ok {
+		return list
+	}
+	if h, ok := hm.Hosts[addr]; ok {
+		return []*HostInfo{h}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// removeHostInfo returns list with hi removed (order preserved), or list unchanged if hi is
+// absent. It deletes in place: every mutator holds the hostmap write lock and no reader ever
+// retains a slice across a mutation (readers iterate under RLock), so there is no snapshot to
+// invalidate.
+func removeHostInfo(list []*HostInfo, hi *HostInfo) []*HostInfo {
+	idx := slices.Index(list, hi)
+	if idx < 0 {
+		return list
+	}
+	return slices.Delete(list, idx, idx+1)
+}
+
+// DeleteHostInfo will fully unlink the hostinfo and return true if no other hostinfo still holds
+// any of its vpn addrs, meaning we no longer have a tunnel to the peer
 func (hm *HostMap) DeleteHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo) bool {
 	// Delete the host itself, ensuring it's not modified anymore
 	hm.Lock()
-	// If we have a previous or next hostinfo then we are not the last one for this vpn ip
+	final := hm.unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo)
-	final := (hostinfo.next == nil && hostinfo.prev == nil)
-	hm.unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo)
 	hm.Unlock()
 
 	return final
@@ -400,71 +448,66 @@ func (hm *HostMap) MakePrimary(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 	hm.unlockedMakePrimary(hostinfo)
 }
 
-func (hm *HostMap) unlockedMakePrimary(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
+// unlockedMakePrimary reports whether hostinfo is (now) the primary for each of its addresses,
-	// Get the current primary, if it exists
+// false only when it is no longer in the hostmap at all.
-	oldHostinfo := hm.Hosts[hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0]]
+func (hm *HostMap) unlockedMakePrimary(hostinfo *HostInfo) bool {
-
+	// A hostinfo that is no longer in the hostmap must not be re-inserted here. Callers can race
-	// Every address in the hostinfo gets elevated to primary
+	// tunnel teardown, deciding to promote under the read lock and only taking the write lock
-	for _, vpnAddr := range hostinfo.vpnAddrs {
+	// after a delete fully unlinked the hostinfo (connection manager swapPrimary, AddRelay). Every
-		//NOTE: It is possible that we leave a dangling hostinfo here but connection manager works on
+	// live hostinfo is registered in Indexes by unlockedAddHostInfo, so this is a membership test.
-		// indexes so it should be fine.
+	if hm.Indexes[hostinfo.localIndexId] != hostinfo {
-		hm.Hosts[vpnAddr] = hostinfo
+		return false
 	}
 
-	// If we are already primary then we won't bother re-linking
+	// Move hostinfo to the front (primary) of each of its address lists. The lists are
-	if oldHostinfo == hostinfo {
+	// independent per address, so this can never leave a dangling entry the way promoting
-		return
+	// against a single shared chain could.
-	}
-
-	// Unlink this hostinfo
-	if hostinfo.prev != nil {
-		hostinfo.prev.next = hostinfo.next
-	}
-	if hostinfo.next != nil {
-		hostinfo.next.prev = hostinfo.prev
-	}
-
-	// If there wasn't a previous primary then clear out any links
-	if oldHostinfo == nil {
-		hostinfo.next = nil
-		hostinfo.prev = nil
-		return
-	}
-
-	// Relink the hostinfo as primary
-	hostinfo.next = oldHostinfo
-	oldHostinfo.prev = hostinfo
-	hostinfo.prev = nil
-}
-
-func (hm *HostMap) unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
-	isLastHostinfo := hostinfo.next == nil && hostinfo.prev == nil
-
 	for _, addr := range hostinfo.vpnAddrs {
-		if hm.Hosts[addr] != hostinfo {
+		if hm.Hosts[addr] == hostinfo {
+			// Already primary for this address, the list is already in the right order
 			continue
 		}
-		if hostinfo.next != nil {
+		list := removeHostInfo(hm.unlockedGetHostList(addr), hostinfo)
-			// Promote the next hostinfo in the shared chain to primary for this address
+		list = append([]*HostInfo{hostinfo}, list...)
-			hm.Hosts[addr] = hostinfo.next
+		hm.unlockedSetHostsForAddr(addr, list)
-		} else {
+	}
-			delete(hm.Hosts, addr)
+	return true
+}
+
+// unlockedDeleteHostInfo removes hostinfo from every one of its address lists and from the index
+// maps. It returns true if this was the last hostinfo for all of its addresses (we no longer have
+// any tunnel to the peer), which the caller uses to decide whether to clear learned lighthouse
+// state and disestablish relays.
+func (hm *HostMap) unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo) bool {
+	// Remove this hostinfo from each of its address lists. The lists are independent, so a
+	// sibling is never promoted to an address it does not own and no other list is touched.
+	final := true
+	for _, addr := range hostinfo.vpnAddrs {
+		if list, ok := hm.moreHosts[addr]; ok {
+			list = removeHostInfo(list, hostinfo)
+			hm.unlockedSetHostsForAddr(addr, list)
+			if len(list) > 0 {
+				final = false
+			}
+		} else if existing, ok := hm.Hosts[addr]; ok {
+			if existing == hostinfo {
+				// Common case, the only hostinfo for this address. moreHosts has no entry to clean up.
+				delete(hm.Hosts, addr)
+			} else {
+				// We don't hold this address but another hostinfo does, we still have a tunnel to the peer
+				final = false
+			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Go maps never shrink their buckets, replace fully drained maps so a node that churned
+	// through a large peer count gives the memory back. Same idiom as the index maps below.
 	if len(hm.Hosts) == 0 {
 		hm.Hosts = map[netip.Addr]*HostInfo{}
 	}
-
+	if len(hm.moreHosts) == 0 {
-	// Splice this hostinfo out of the shared chain exactly once
+		hm.moreHosts = map[netip.Addr][]*HostInfo{}
-	if hostinfo.prev != nil {
-		hostinfo.prev.next = hostinfo.next
 	}
-	if hostinfo.next != nil {
-		hostinfo.next.prev = hostinfo.prev
-	}
-
-	hostinfo.next = nil
-	hostinfo.prev = nil
 
 	// The remote index uses index ids outside our control so lets make sure we are only removing
 	// the remote index pointer here if it points to the hostinfo we are deleting
@@ -488,7 +531,7 @@ func (hm *HostMap) unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 		)
 	}
 
-	if isLastHostinfo {
+	if final {
 		// I have lost connectivity to my peers. My relay tunnel is likely broken. Mark the next
 		// hops as 'Requested' so that new relay tunnels are created in the future.
 		hm.unlockedDisestablishVpnAddrRelayFor(hostinfo)
@@ -497,6 +540,8 @@ func (hm *HostMap) unlockedDeleteHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 	for _, localRelayIdx := range hostinfo.relayState.CopyRelayForIdxs() {
 		delete(hm.Relays, localRelayIdx)
 	}
+
+	return final
 }
 
 func (hm *HostMap) QueryIndex(index uint32) *HostInfo {
@@ -540,19 +585,30 @@ func (hm *HostMap) QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor(targetIps []netip.Addr, relayHostIp net
 	hm.RLock()
 	defer hm.RUnlock()
 
+	// This runs per relayed packet, so check the primary with a single map probe and only consult
+	// moreHosts when the primary can't relay for us.
 	h, ok := hm.Hosts[relayHostIp]
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, nil, errors.New("unable to find host")
 	}
 
-	for h != nil {
+	for _, targetIp := range targetIps {
-		for _, targetIp := range targetIps {
+		r, ok := h.relayState.QueryRelayForByIp(targetIp)
-			r, ok := h.relayState.QueryRelayForByIp(targetIp)
+		if ok && r.State == Established {
-			if ok && r.State == Established {
+			return h, r, nil
-				return h, r, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	if list, ok := hm.moreHosts[relayHostIp]; ok {
+		// list[0] is the primary we already checked
+		for _, h := range list[1:] {
+			for _, targetIp := range targetIps {
+				r, ok := h.relayState.QueryRelayForByIp(targetIp)
+				if ok && r.State == Established {
+					return h, r, nil
+				}
 			}
 		}
-		h = h.next
 	}
 
 	return nil, nil, errors.New("unable to find host with relay")
@@ -560,20 +616,14 @@ func (hm *HostMap) QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor(targetIps []netip.Addr, relayHostIp net
 
 func (hm *HostMap) unlockedDisestablishVpnAddrRelayFor(hi *HostInfo) {
 	for _, relayHostIp := range hi.relayState.CopyRelayIps() {
-		if h, ok := hm.Hosts[relayHostIp]; ok {
+		for _, h := range hm.unlockedGetHostList(relayHostIp) {
-			for h != nil {
+			h.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIpState(hi.vpnAddrs[0], Disestablished)
-				h.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIpState(hi.vpnAddrs[0], Disestablished)
-				h = h.next
-			}
 		}
 	}
 	for _, rs := range hi.relayState.CopyAllRelayFor() {
 		if rs.Type == ForwardingType {
-			if h, ok := hm.Hosts[rs.PeerAddr]; ok {
+			for _, h := range hm.unlockedGetHostList(rs.PeerAddr) {
-				for h != nil {
+				h.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIpState(hi.vpnAddrs[0], Disestablished)
-					h.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIpState(hi.vpnAddrs[0], Disestablished)
-					h = h.next
-				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -623,22 +673,27 @@ func (hm *HostMap) unlockedAddHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo, f *Interface) {
 }
 
 func (hm *HostMap) unlockedInnerAddHostInfo(vpnAddr netip.Addr, hostinfo *HostInfo, f *Interface) {
-	existing := hm.Hosts[vpnAddr]
+	existing, ok := hm.Hosts[vpnAddr]
-	hm.Hosts[vpnAddr] = hostinfo
+	if !ok {
-
+		// Common case, the first hostinfo for this address. moreHosts stays empty.
-	if existing != nil && existing != hostinfo {
+		hm.Hosts[vpnAddr] = hostinfo
-		hostinfo.next = existing
+		return
-		existing.prev = hostinfo
 	}
 
-	i := 1
+	// The new hostinfo becomes the primary for this address. Remove any stale copy of it first so
-	check := hostinfo
+	// we never hold a duplicate, then prepend.
-	for check != nil {
+	list, ok := hm.moreHosts[vpnAddr]
-		if i > MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp {
+	if !ok {
-			hm.unlockedDeleteHostInfo(check)
+		list = []*HostInfo{existing}
-		}
+	}
-		check = check.next
+	list = removeHostInfo(list, hostinfo)
-		i++
+	list = append([]*HostInfo{hostinfo}, list...)
+	hm.unlockedSetHostsForAddr(vpnAddr, list)
+
+	// Enforce the per-address cap by fully retiring the oldest hostinfo once we exceed it.
+	// Deleting it removes it from all of its addresses and the index maps, matching prior behavior.
+	if len(list) > MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp {
+		hm.unlockedDeleteHostInfo(list[len(list)-1])
 	}
 }
 

hostmap_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package nebula
 
 import (
 	"net/netip"
+	"slices"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
@@ -10,78 +11,84 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
+// chainIds returns the localIndexIds of the hostinfos holding addr, primary (index 0) first. It
+// also validates the Hosts/moreHosts sync contract on every call so a mutation that broke it
+// fails fast.
+func chainIds(t *testing.T, hm *HostMap, addr netip.Addr) []uint32 {
+	t.Helper()
+	assertHostMapInvariants(t, hm)
+	list := hm.unlockedGetHostList(addr)
+	ids := make([]uint32, len(list))
+	for i, h := range list {
+		ids[i] = h.localIndexId
+	}
+	return ids
+}
+
+// assertHostMapInvariants checks the Hosts/moreHosts contract: moreHosts only holds addresses
+// with 2 or more hostinfos, its first entry is always the primary in Hosts, lists never hold
+// duplicates, every hostinfo in a list owns the address and is registered in Indexes, and every
+// indexed hostinfo is reachable through each of its addresses.
+func assertHostMapInvariants(t *testing.T, hm *HostMap) {
+	t.Helper()
+	for addr, list := range hm.moreHosts {
+		require.GreaterOrEqualf(t, len(list), 2, "moreHosts[%s] must hold at least 2 hostinfos", addr)
+		require.Samef(t, hm.Hosts[addr], list[0], "moreHosts[%s][0] must match the primary in Hosts", addr)
+		seen := map[*HostInfo]bool{}
+		for _, h := range list {
+			require.NotNilf(t, h, "moreHosts[%s] must never hold a nil hostinfo", addr)
+			require.Falsef(t, seen[h], "moreHosts[%s] holds hostinfo %d twice", addr, h.localIndexId)
+			seen[h] = true
+			require.Samef(t, hm.Indexes[h.localIndexId], h, "moreHosts[%s] member %d is not registered in Indexes", addr, h.localIndexId)
+			require.Truef(t, slices.Contains(h.vpnAddrs, addr), "moreHosts[%s] member %d does not own the address", addr, h.localIndexId)
+		}
+	}
+	for addr, h := range hm.Hosts {
+		require.NotNilf(t, h, "Hosts[%s] must never be nil", addr)
+		require.Samef(t, hm.Indexes[h.localIndexId], h, "Hosts[%s] primary %d is not registered in Indexes", addr, h.localIndexId)
+		require.Truef(t, slices.Contains(h.vpnAddrs, addr), "Hosts[%s] primary (index %d) does not own the address", addr, h.localIndexId)
+	}
+	for idx, h := range hm.Indexes {
+		require.Equalf(t, idx, h.localIndexId, "Indexes[%d] holds hostinfo with localIndexId %d", idx, h.localIndexId)
+		for _, va := range h.vpnAddrs {
+			require.Truef(t, slices.Contains(hm.unlockedGetHostList(va), h), "indexed hostinfo %d is missing from the list for %s", idx, va)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHostMap_MakePrimary(t *testing.T) {
 	l := test.NewLogger()
 	hm := newHostMap(l)
 
 	f := &Interface{}
+	a := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
 
-	h1 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 1}
+	h1 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 1}
-	h2 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 2}
+	h2 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 2}
-	h3 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 3}
+	h3 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 3}
-	h4 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 4}
+	h4 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 4}
 
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h4, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h3, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h2, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h1, f)
 
-	// Make sure we go h1 -> h2 -> h3 -> h4
+	// Most-recently-added is primary: h1, h2, h3, h4
-	prim := hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{1, 2, 3, 4}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, h1, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h2.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h3.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h3.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.next)
 
-	// Swap h3/middle to primary
+	// Swap the middle to primary: h3, h1, h2, h4
 	hm.MakePrimary(h3)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{3, 1, 2, 4}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Equal(t, h3, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
 
-	// Make sure we go h3 -> h1 -> h2 -> h4
+	// Swap the tail to primary: h4, h3, h1, h2
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h1.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h1.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h2.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.next)
-
-	// Swap h4/tail to primary
 	hm.MakePrimary(h4)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{4, 3, 1, 2}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
 
-	// Make sure we go h4 -> h3 -> h1 -> h2
+	// Swapping the current primary again is a no-op
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h3.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h3.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h1.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h1.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h2.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h2.next)
-
-	// Swap h4 again should be no-op
 	hm.MakePrimary(h4)
-
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{4, 3, 1, 2}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	// Make sure we go h4 -> h3 -> h1 -> h2
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h3.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h3.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h1.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h1.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h2.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h2.next)
 }
 
 func TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo(t *testing.T) {
@@ -89,13 +96,14 @@ func TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	hm := newHostMap(l)
 
 	f := &Interface{}
+	a := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
 
-	h1 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 1}
+	h1 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 1}
-	h2 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 2}
+	h2 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 2}
-	h3 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 3}
+	h3 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 3}
-	h4 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 4}
+	h4 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 4}
-	h5 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 5}
+	h5 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 5}
-	h6 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")}, localIndexId: 6}
+	h6 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 6}
 
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h6, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h5, f)
@@ -104,94 +112,110 @@ func TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h2, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h1, f)
 
-	// h6 should be deleted
+	// h6 is evicted by the MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp cap; the rest are newest-first.
-	assert.Nil(t, h6.next)
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryIndex(h6.localIndexId))
-	assert.Nil(t, h6.prev)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	h := hm.QueryIndex(h6.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h)
 
-	// Make sure we go h1 -> h2 -> h3 -> h4 -> h5
+	// Delete primary; not final since siblings remain.
-	prim := hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h1))
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 3, 4, 5}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h1.localIndexId, h2.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h3.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h3.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h5.localIndexId, h4.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h5.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h5.next)
 
-	// Delete primary
+	// Deleting the same hostinfo again must not report final while siblings remain and must not
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(h1)
+	// disturb the list. The old chain code got this wrong: the first delete nil'd next/prev, so a
-	assert.Nil(t, h1.prev)
+	// second delete looked final and wiped lighthouse state out from under the live sibling.
-	assert.Nil(t, h1.next)
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h1))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 3, 4, 5}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
 
-	// Make sure we go h2 -> h3 -> h4 -> h5
+	// Delete a middle node.
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h3))
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 4, 5}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h3.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h3.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h3.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h5.localIndexId, h4.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h5.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h5.next)
 
-	// Delete in the middle
+	// Delete the tail.
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(h3)
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h5))
-	assert.Nil(t, h3.prev)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 4}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Nil(t, h3.next)
 
-	// Make sure we go h2 -> h4 -> h5
+	// Delete the head; h4 remains and becomes primary.
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h2))
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{4}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, h4, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h5.localIndexId, h4.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h5.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h5.next)
 
-	// Delete the tail
+	// Delete the only remaining item; final is true and the address is gone.
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(h5)
+	assert.True(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h4))
-	assert.Nil(t, h5.prev)
+	assert.Empty(t, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Nil(t, h5.next)
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
 
-	// Make sure we go h2 -> h4
+	// Deleting an already-gone hostinfo is still final; nothing holds the address anymore.
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	assert.True(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h4))
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	assert.Empty(t, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, prim.next.localIndexId)
+}
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, h2.next.localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, h2.localIndexId, h4.prev.localIndexId)
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.next)
 
-	// Delete the head
+// TestHostMap_MakePrimary_DeletedHostInfo covers promoting a hostinfo that lost a race with
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(h2)
+// tunnel teardown: swapPrimary and AddRelay decide to promote while holding a stale pointer and
-	assert.Nil(t, h2.prev)
+// only take the write lock after a delete fully unlinked the hostinfo. MakePrimary must be a
-	assert.Nil(t, h2.next)
+// no-op, not a resurrection that installs an unmanaged primary.
+func TestHostMap_MakePrimary_DeletedHostInfo(t *testing.T) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	hm := newHostMap(l)
+	f := &Interface{}
+	a := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
 
-	// Make sure we only have h4
+	h1 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 1}
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	h2 := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 2}
-	assert.Equal(t, h4.localIndexId, prim.localIndexId)
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h1, f)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.prev)
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(h2, f)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim.next)
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.next)
 
-	// Delete the only item
+	// h1 is fully deleted while another goroutine still holds a pointer to it.
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(h4)
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(h1))
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.prev)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Nil(t, h4.next)
 
-	// Make sure we have nil
+	// The stale promote must not bring it back.
-	prim = hm.QueryVpnAddr(netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1"))
+	hm.MakePrimary(h1)
-	assert.Nil(t, prim)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Equal(t, h2, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryIndex(h1.localIndexId))
+}
+
+// TestHostMap_QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor_NonPrimary makes sure a relay established on an older
+// hostinfo is still found after a newer tunnel without relay state takes primary for the same
+// address. The lookup checks the primary first and falls back to the rest of the list.
+func TestHostMap_QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor_NonPrimary(t *testing.T) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	hm := newHostMap(l)
+	f := &Interface{}
+	relayAddr := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.9")
+	target := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
+
+	older := &HostInfo{
+		vpnAddrs:     []netip.Addr{relayAddr},
+		localIndexId: 1,
+		relayState: RelayState{
+			relayForByAddr: map[netip.Addr]*Relay{},
+			relayForByIdx:  map[uint32]*Relay{},
+		},
+	}
+	older.relayState.InsertRelay(target, 100, &Relay{Type: ForwardingType, State: Established, LocalIndex: 100, PeerAddr: target})
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(older, f)
+
+	// The relay is found on the primary.
+	h, r, err := hm.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor([]netip.Addr{target}, relayAddr)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, older, h)
+	assert.Equal(t, uint32(100), r.LocalIndex)
+
+	// A re-handshake with no relay state takes primary; the established relay on the older
+	// hostinfo must still be found through the fallback.
+	newer := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{relayAddr}, localIndexId: 2}
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(newer, f)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 1}, chainIds(t, hm, relayAddr))
+
+	h, r, err = hm.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor([]netip.Addr{target}, relayAddr)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, older, h)
+	assert.Equal(t, uint32(100), r.LocalIndex)
+
+	// No hostinfo at all is a plain miss.
+	_, _, err = hm.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor([]netip.Addr{target}, netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.42"))
+	require.Error(t, err)
 }
 
 // TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo_MultipleVpnAddrs exercises the case where a hostinfo carries more than one
@@ -216,32 +240,82 @@ func TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo_MultipleVpnAddrs(t *testing.T) {
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(other, f)
 	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(head, f)
 
-	// head is primary for both addresses, other is next in the shared chain
+	// head is primary for both addresses, other is next in each address's list.
-	assert.Equal(t, head.localIndexId, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a).localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, head, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
-	assert.Equal(t, head.localIndexId, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b).localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, head, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b))
-	assert.Equal(t, other.localIndexId, head.next.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 1}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
-	assert.Equal(t, head.localIndexId, other.prev.localIndexId)
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 1}, chainIds(t, hm, b))
 
 	// Delete the head. other is still live, so it must become primary for BOTH addresses.
-	hm.DeleteHostInfo(head)
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(head))
+	assert.Equal(t, other, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
+	assert.Equal(t, other, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{1}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{1}, chainIds(t, hm, b))
 
-	// Pre-fix: QueryVpnAddr(b) came back nil here because the second address was deleted rather than
+	// head is fully removed from the index map.
-	// promoted, leaving other unreachable at b.
-	require.NotNil(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
-	require.NotNil(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b))
-	assert.Equal(t, other.localIndexId, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a).localIndexId)
-	assert.Equal(t, other.localIndexId, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b).localIndexId)
-
-	// other is now the only hostinfo in the chain
-	assert.Nil(t, other.prev)
-	assert.Nil(t, other.next)
-
-	// head is fully detached
-	assert.Nil(t, head.prev)
-	assert.Nil(t, head.next)
 	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryIndex(head.localIndexId))
 }
 
+// TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo_DivergentVpnAddrs covers chained hostinfos for the same peer whose
+// vpnAddrs sets differ (a re-handshake cert added a second address). Deleting the superset node
+// must not promote a sibling to an address it does not own.
+func TestHostMap_DeleteHostInfo_DivergentVpnAddrs(t *testing.T) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	hm := newHostMap(l)
+	f := &Interface{}
+	a := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
+	b := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.2")
+
+	// sub owns only a; super (a newer handshake) owns a and b.
+	sub := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 1}
+	super := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a, b}, localIndexId: 2}
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(sub, f)
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(super, f)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2, 1}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{2}, chainIds(t, hm, b))
+
+	// Delete super: a promotes to sub (which owns it); b has no remaining owner and must be
+	// removed, not dangled at sub (which does not own b).
+	assert.False(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(super))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{1}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Empty(t, chainIds(t, hm, b))
+	assert.Equal(t, sub, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(b))
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryIndex(super.localIndexId))
+
+	// Deleting sub cleans up fully.
+	assert.True(t, hm.DeleteHostInfo(sub))
+	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a))
+	assertHostMapInvariants(t, hm)
+}
+
+// TestHostMap_AddDivergentOverlap covers a new hostinfo claiming addresses currently owned by two
+// DIFFERENT hostinfos. The old single shared next/prev chain overwrote a pointer and orphaned one
+// of them (in Indexes but unreachable via its address); independent per-address lists cannot.
+func TestHostMap_AddDivergentOverlap(t *testing.T) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+	hm := newHostMap(l)
+	f := &Interface{}
+	a := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.1")
+	b := netip.MustParseAddr("0.0.0.2")
+
+	hiA := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a}, localIndexId: 1}
+	hiP := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{b}, localIndexId: 2}
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(hiA, f)
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(hiP, f)
+
+	hiB := &HostInfo{vpnAddrs: []netip.Addr{a, b}, localIndexId: 3}
+	hm.unlockedAddHostInfo(hiB, f)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{3, 1}, chainIds(t, hm, a))
+	assert.Equal(t, []uint32{3, 2}, chainIds(t, hm, b))
+	// hiA is still reachable via its address (not orphaned) and still indexed.
+	assert.Contains(t, chainIds(t, hm, a), hiA.localIndexId)
+	assert.NotNil(t, hm.QueryIndex(hiA.localIndexId))
+}
+
 // TestHostMap_MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp_MultipleVpnAddrs verifies the MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp overflow prune
 // (unlockedInnerAddHostInfo calls unlockedDeleteHostInfo on the oldest node once the chain is too long)
 // still behaves when hostinfos carry more than one vpnAddr. The pruned node is always the tail, so it is
@@ -267,32 +341,14 @@ func TestHostMap_MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp_MultipleVpnAddrs(t *testing.T) {
 
 	oldest := hostinfos[len(hostinfos)-1]
 
-	// The oldest hostinfo should have been pruned and fully detached
+	// The oldest hostinfo was pruned from both lists and the index map.
-	assert.Nil(t, oldest.next)
-	assert.Nil(t, oldest.prev)
 	assert.Nil(t, hm.QueryIndex(oldest.localIndexId))
 
-	// Both addresses resolve to the same head, and that head is one of the survivors (not the pruned one)
+	// Both addresses hold exactly MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp survivors in the same order; oldest is absent.
-	primA := hm.QueryVpnAddr(a)
+	require.Len(t, chainIds(t, hm, a), MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp)
-	primB := hm.QueryVpnAddr(b)
+	assert.Equal(t, chainIds(t, hm, a), chainIds(t, hm, b), "both addresses must list the same survivors in the same order")
-	require.NotNil(t, primA)
+	assert.NotContains(t, chainIds(t, hm, a), oldest.localIndexId)
-	require.NotNil(t, primB)
+	assert.Equal(t, hm.QueryVpnAddr(a), hm.QueryVpnAddr(b))
-	assert.Equal(t, primA.localIndexId, primB.localIndexId)
-	assert.NotEqual(t, oldest.localIndexId, primA.localIndexId)
-
-	// Walk the shared chain: exactly MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp survivors, no cycles, oldest absent
-	seen := map[uint32]struct{}{}
-	for h := primA; h != nil; h = h.next {
-		_, dup := seen[h.localIndexId]
-		require.False(t, dup, "cycle detected in hostinfo chain")
-		seen[h.localIndexId] = struct{}{}
-		if h.next != nil {
-			assert.Equal(t, h.localIndexId, h.next.prev.localIndexId, "prev pointer must mirror next")
-		}
-	}
-	assert.Len(t, seen, MaxHostInfosPerVpnIp)
-	_, prunedStillPresent := seen[oldest.localIndexId]
-	assert.False(t, prunedStillPresent)
 }
 
 func TestHostMap_reload(t *testing.T) {

inside.go

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 		// routes packets from the Nebula addr to the Nebula addr through the Nebula
 		// TUN device.
 		if immediatelyForwardToSelf {
-			_, err := f.readers[q].Write(packet)
+			_, err := f.queues[q].Write(packet)
 			if err != nil {
 				f.l.Error("Failed to forward to tun", "error", err)
 			}
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 }
 
 func (f *Interface) rejectInside(packet []byte, out []byte, q int) {
-	if !f.firewall.InSendReject {
+	if !f.firewall.OutboundSendReject {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -96,14 +96,14 @@ func (f *Interface) rejectInside(packet []byte, out []byte, q int) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err := f.readers[q].Write(out)
+	_, err := f.queues[q].Write(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		f.l.Error("Failed to write to tun", "error", err)
 	}
 }
 
 func (f *Interface) rejectOutside(packet []byte, ci *ConnectionState, hostinfo *HostInfo, nb, out []byte, q int) {
-	if !f.firewall.OutSendReject {
+	if !f.firewall.InboundSendReject {
 		return
 	}
 

interface.go

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
+	"runtime"
 	"slices"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/firewall"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/header"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 )
 
 const mtu = 9001
@@ -49,7 +51,19 @@ type InterfaceConfig struct {
 	reQueryWait     time.Duration
 
 	ConntrackCacheTimeout time.Duration
-	l                     *slog.Logger
+
+	// CpuAffinity, when non-empty, names the CPUs each TUN reader goroutine
+	// should pin to. Queue i pins to CpuAffinity[i % len(CpuAffinity)] —
+	// shorter lists than `routines` cycle. Empty list keeps the default
+	// pin-to-(i % NumCPU) behavior. Only consulted when PinThreads is true.
+	CpuAffinity []int
+	// PinThreads controls whether each TUN reader OS thread is pinned to a
+	// single CPU (via tun.pin_threads, default true). Pinning keeps each
+	// goroutine's UDP sends on one XPS-selected NIC TX ring so per-flow
+	// packets stay ordered on the wire.
+	PinThreads bool
+
+	l *slog.Logger
 }
 
 type Interface struct {
@@ -73,7 +87,16 @@ type Interface struct {
 	routines              int
 	disconnectInvalid     atomic.Bool
 	closed                atomic.Bool
-	relayManager          *relayManager
+	// cpuAffinity, when non-empty, names the CPUs each TUN reader goroutine
+	// should pin to. Queue i pins to cpuAffinity[i % len(cpuAffinity)].
+	// Empty falls back to the default pin-to-(allowed CPU) behavior.
+	// Only consulted when pinThreads is true.
+	cpuAffinity []int
+	// pinThreads controls whether listenIn pins each TUN reader OS thread to
+	// a CPU at all (tun.pin_threads, default true). When false, threads are
+	// left free to migrate as on stock nebula.
+	pinThreads   bool
+	relayManager *relayManager
 
 	tryPromoteEvery atomic.Uint32
 	reQueryEvery    atomic.Uint32
@@ -90,7 +113,7 @@ type Interface struct {
 
 	ctx     context.Context
 	writers []udp.Conn
-	readers []io.ReadWriteCloser
+	queues  []tio.Queue
 	wg      sync.WaitGroup
 
 	// fatalErr holds the first unexpected reader error that caused shutdown.
@@ -189,7 +212,6 @@ func NewInterface(ctx context.Context, c *InterfaceConfig) (*Interface, error) {
 		routines:              c.routines,
 		version:               c.version,
 		writers:               make([]udp.Conn, c.routines),
-		readers:               make([]io.ReadWriteCloser, c.routines),
 		myVpnNetworks:         cs.myVpnNetworks,
 		myVpnNetworksTable:    cs.myVpnNetworksTable,
 		myVpnAddrs:            cs.myVpnAddrs,
@@ -198,6 +220,8 @@ func NewInterface(ctx context.Context, c *InterfaceConfig) (*Interface, error) {
 		relayManager:          c.relayManager,
 		connectionManager:     c.connectionManager,
 		conntrackCacheTimeout: c.ConntrackCacheTimeout,
+		cpuAffinity:           c.CpuAffinity,
+		pinThreads:            c.PinThreads,
 
 		metricHandshakes: metrics.GetOrRegisterHistogram("handshakes", nil, metrics.NewExpDecaySample(1028, 0.015)),
 		messageMetrics:   c.MessageMetrics,
@@ -215,6 +239,9 @@ func NewInterface(ctx context.Context, c *InterfaceConfig) (*Interface, error) {
 
 	ifce.connectionManager.intf = ifce
 
+	// Held until Close so waiting on the interface blocks until the resources are actually released
+	ifce.wg.Add(1)
+
 	return ifce, nil
 }
 
@@ -237,38 +264,37 @@ func (f *Interface) activate() error {
 		"boringcrypto", boringEnabled(),
 	)
 
-	if f.routines > 1 {
+	if f.routines > 1 && !f.outside.SupportsMultipleReaders() {
-		if !f.inside.SupportsMultiqueue() || !f.outside.SupportsMultipleReaders() {
+		f.routines = 1
-			f.routines = 1
+		f.l.Warn("multiple udp readers are not supported on this platform, falling back to a single routine")
-			f.l.Warn("routines is not supported on this platform, falling back to a single routine")
-		}
 	}
 
+	// Prepare the tun queues. A device that can't open that many hands back
+	// fewer (a single queue on platforms without multiqueue support) and we
+	// size the reader routines to what we actually got.
+	queues, err := f.inside.Queues(f.routines)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(queues) < f.routines {
+		f.l.Warn("tun multiqueue is not supported on this platform, falling back to fewer routines",
+			"requested", f.routines, "opened", len(queues))
+		f.routines = len(queues)
+	}
+	f.queues = queues
+
 	metrics.GetOrRegisterGauge("routines", nil).Update(int64(f.routines))
 
-	// Prepare n tun queues
+	// On error the caller owns the cleanup, Control.Start cancels the service context
-	var reader io.ReadWriteCloser = f.inside
+	// before releasing our resources so a waiter never observes a live context
-	for i := 0; i < f.routines; i++ {
-		if i > 0 {
-			reader, err = f.inside.NewMultiQueueReader()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-		f.readers[i] = reader
-	}
-
-	f.wg.Add(1) // for us to wait on Close() to return
 	if err = f.inside.Activate(); err != nil {
-		f.wg.Done()
-		f.inside.Close()
 		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) run() (func() error, error) {
+func (f *Interface) run() {
 	// Launch n queues to read packets from udp
 	for i := 0; i < f.routines; i++ {
 		f.wg.Go(func() {
@@ -279,17 +305,18 @@ func (f *Interface) run() (func() error, error) {
 	// Launch n queues to read packets from tun dev
 	for i := 0; i < f.routines; i++ {
 		f.wg.Go(func() {
-			f.listenIn(f.readers[i], i)
+			f.listenIn(f.queues[i], i)
 		})
 	}
 
-	return func() error {
+}
-		f.wg.Wait()
+
-		if e := f.fatalErr.Load(); e != nil {
+func (f *Interface) wait() error {
-			return *e
+	f.wg.Wait()
-		}
+	if e := f.fatalErr.Load(); e != nil {
-		return nil
+		return *e
-	}, nil
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // onFatal stores the first fatal reader error, and calls triggerShutdown if it was the first one
@@ -322,7 +349,10 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, plaintext[:0], payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get())
 	})
 
-	if err != nil && !f.closed.Load() {
+	// An error after teardown began is shutdown noise, the closed flag covers resources
+	// Close releases itself and the cancelled ctx covers ones torn down by their owners
+	// reacting to it, like the user device pipes
+	if err != nil && !f.closed.Load() && f.ctx.Err() == nil {
 		f.l.Error("Error while reading inbound packet, closing", "error", err)
 		f.onFatal(err)
 	}
@@ -330,8 +360,29 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 	f.l.Debug("underlay reader is done", "reader", i)
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) listenIn(reader io.ReadWriteCloser, i int) {
+func (f *Interface) listenIn(queue tio.Queue, i int) {
-	packet := make([]byte, mtu)
+	// Pinning this thread (and goroutine) to a single CPU keeps every UDP send from this goroutine going through
+	// the same TX ring on the nic (XPS selects the ring by CPU), so the wire sees per-flow order. Skip entirely
+	// when tun.pin_threads is false.
+	if f.pinThreads {
+		var cpu int
+		if n := len(f.cpuAffinity); n > 0 {
+			// Explicit tun.cpu_affinity list wins; parseCpuAffinity already
+			// validated the entries against the allowed CPU set.
+			cpu = f.cpuAffinity[i%n]
+		} else if allowed, err := util.AllowedCPUs(); err == nil && len(allowed) > 0 {
+			// Default: spread queues across the CPUs we're actually allowed to
+			// run on. Under a cpuset/taskset mask these aren't 0..NumCPU-1, so
+			// i % NumCPU would pick unrunnable IDs and every pin would fail.
+			cpu = allowed[i%len(allowed)]
+		} else {
+			cpu = i % runtime.NumCPU()
+		}
+		if err := util.PinThreadToCPU(cpu); err != nil {
+			f.l.Warn("failed to pin tun reader to CPU", "queue", i, "cpu", cpu, "err", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	out := make([]byte, mtu)
 	fwPacket := &firewall.Packet{}
 	nb := make([]byte, 12, 12)
@@ -339,16 +390,21 @@ func (f *Interface) listenIn(reader io.ReadWriteCloser, i int) {
 	conntrackCache := firewall.NewConntrackCacheTicker(f.ctx, f.l, f.conntrackCacheTimeout)
 
 	for {
-		n, err := reader.Read(packet)
+		pkts, err := queue.Read()
 		if err != nil {
-			if !f.closed.Load() {
+			// Same shutdown noise handling as listenOut
+			if !f.closed.Load() && f.ctx.Err() == nil {
 				f.l.Error("Error while reading outbound packet, closing", "error", err, "reader", i)
 				f.onFatal(err)
 			}
 			break
 		}
 
-		f.consumeInsidePacket(packet[:n], fwPacket, nb, out, i, conntrackCache.Get())
+		for _, pkt := range pkts {
+			// borrowed: pkt.Bytes is owned by the queue and only valid until
+			// the next Read; consumeInsidePacket reads it synchronously.
+			f.consumeInsidePacket(pkt.Bytes, fwPacket, nb, out, i, conntrackCache.Get())
+		}
 	}
 
 	f.l.Debug("overlay reader is done", "reader", i)
@@ -542,9 +598,15 @@ func (f *Interface) GetCertState() *CertState {
 	return f.pki.getCertState()
 }
 
+// Close releases the interface's resources: the udp sockets and the tun device.
+// It is idempotent and safe to call at any point in the lifecycle, including on an interface that never activated,
+// calls after the first return nil without doing anything.
 func (f *Interface) Close() error {
+	if !f.closed.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var errs []error
-	f.closed.Store(true)
 
 	// Release the udp readers
 	for i, u := range f.writers {
@@ -560,6 +622,8 @@ func (f *Interface) Close() error {
 	if closeErr != nil {
 		errs = append(errs, closeErr)
 	}
+
+	// Release the construction token so waiters know the resources are gone
 	f.wg.Done()
 	return errors.Join(errs...)
 }

main.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
 	"runtime/debug"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -130,6 +131,17 @@ func Main(c *config.C, configTest bool, buildVersion string, l *slog.Logger, dev
 	udpConns := make([]udp.Conn, routines)
 	port := c.GetInt("listen.port", 0)
 
+	// Callers get no handle to these until the Control is returned, release them on any error.
+	defer func() {
+		if reterr != nil {
+			for _, u := range udpConns {
+				if u != nil {
+					_ = u.Close()
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	if !configTest {
 		rawListenHost := c.GetString("listen.host", "0.0.0.0")
 		var listenHost netip.Addr
@@ -220,6 +232,8 @@ func Main(c *config.C, configTest bool, buildVersion string, l *slog.Logger, dev
 		relayManager:          NewRelayManager(ctx, l, hostMap, c),
 		punchy:                punchy,
 		ConntrackCacheTimeout: conntrackCacheTimeout,
+		CpuAffinity:           parseCpuAffinity(c, l, routines),
+		PinThreads:            c.GetBool("tun.pin_threads", true),
 		l:                     l,
 	}
 
@@ -271,6 +285,70 @@ func Main(c *config.C, configTest bool, buildVersion string, l *slog.Logger, dev
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// parseCpuAffinity reads `tun.cpu_affinity` from the config — a list of
+// integer CPU IDs, one per TUN reader goroutine. Empty / unset returns nil
+// (listenIn falls back to spreading queues across the allowed CPU set).
+// Length mismatch with `routines` is a warning, not an error: shorter lists
+// are modulo-cycled across queues, longer lists' tail is ignored. Invalid
+// entries (non-integer, or a CPU ID we're not allowed to run on) are also a
+// warning and disable the override entirely so we don't silently pin to the
+// wrong CPU. Entries are validated against the process's current affinity
+// mask (util.AllowedCPUs) rather than 0..NumCPU-1: under a cgroup cpuset or
+// taskset the runnable IDs are frequently not that contiguous range, and
+// pinning to an unrunnable ID always fails. If the allowed set can't be
+// determined we fall back to a plain non-negative check.
+func parseCpuAffinity(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, routines int) []int {
+	raw := c.Get("tun.cpu_affinity")
+	if raw == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	rv, ok := raw.([]any)
+	if !ok {
+		l.Warn("tun.cpu_affinity must be a list of integers; ignoring", "value", raw)
+		return nil
+	}
+	// allowed is the set of CPU IDs we're actually permitted to run on. A nil
+	// slice (unsupported platform or lookup error) means "can't tell", so we
+	// only apply the weaker non-negative check in that case.
+	allowed, err := util.AllowedCPUs()
+	if err != nil {
+		l.Warn("could not determine allowed CPUs; validating tun.cpu_affinity against non-negative only", "error", err)
+		allowed = nil
+	}
+	cpus := make([]int, 0, len(rv))
+	for i, e := range rv {
+		var cpu int
+		switch v := e.(type) {
+		case int:
+			cpu = v
+		case int64:
+			cpu = int(v)
+		case float64:
+			cpu = int(v)
+		default:
+			l.Warn("tun.cpu_affinity entry not an integer; ignoring affinity",
+				"index", i, "value", e)
+			return nil
+		}
+		if cpu < 0 {
+			l.Warn("tun.cpu_affinity entry out of range; ignoring affinity",
+				"index", i, "cpu", cpu)
+			return nil
+		}
+		if len(allowed) > 0 && !slices.Contains(allowed, cpu) {
+			l.Warn("tun.cpu_affinity entry not in allowed CPU set; ignoring affinity",
+				"index", i, "cpu", cpu, "allowed", allowed)
+			return nil
+		}
+		cpus = append(cpus, cpu)
+	}
+	if len(cpus) != routines {
+		l.Warn("tun.cpu_affinity length doesn't match routines; queues will modulo-cycle through the list",
+			"affinity_len", len(cpus), "routines", routines)
+	}
+	return cpus
+}
+
 func moduleVersion() string {
 	info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
 	if !ok {

main_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package nebula
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/test"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestParseCpuAffinity(t *testing.T) {
+	l := test.NewLogger()
+
+	// newConfig returns a config.C with tun.cpu_affinity set to v. A nil v
+	// leaves the key unset.
+	newConfig := func(v any) *config.C {
+		c := config.NewC(l)
+		if v != nil {
+			c.Settings["tun"] = map[string]any{"cpu_affinity": v}
+		}
+		return c
+	}
+
+	// unset -> nil (listenIn falls back to spreading across the allowed set)
+	assert.Nil(t, parseCpuAffinity(newConfig(nil), l, 1))
+
+	// Pick a CPU we're actually allowed to run on so a valid list survives
+	// validation regardless of the host's affinity mask.
+	allowed, _ := util.AllowedCPUs()
+	validCPU := 0
+	if len(allowed) > 0 {
+		validCPU = allowed[0]
+	}
+
+	// valid list -> parsed through unchanged
+	assert.Equal(t, []int{validCPU, validCPU}, parseCpuAffinity(newConfig([]any{validCPU, validCPU}), l, 2))
+
+	// a negative entry is out of range on every platform -> disables the override
+	assert.Nil(t, parseCpuAffinity(newConfig([]any{validCPU, -1}), l, 2))
+
+	// a non-integer entry -> disables the override
+	assert.Nil(t, parseCpuAffinity(newConfig([]any{validCPU, "not-a-cpu"}), l, 2))
+
+	// a CPU id outside the allowed set -> disables the override. Only assertable
+	// where we can enumerate the allowed set (e.g. linux); 1<<20 is far beyond
+	// any representable CPU id so it can never be in the mask.
+	if len(allowed) > 0 {
+		assert.Nil(t, parseCpuAffinity(newConfig([]any{1 << 20}), l, 1))
+	}
+}

outside.go

@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, out []byte, p
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err = f.readers[q].Write(out)
+	_, err = f.queues[q].Write(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		f.l.Error("Failed to write to tun", "error", err)
 	}

overlay/device.go

@@ -4,15 +4,25 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/netip"
 
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 )
 
+// defaultBatchBufSize is the per-Queue scratch size for Read. 65535 covers
+// any single IP packet.
+const defaultBatchBufSize = 65535
+
 type Device interface {
-	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	io.Closer
 	Activate() error
 	Networks() []netip.Prefix
 	Name() string
 	RoutesFor(netip.Addr) routing.Gateways
-	SupportsMultiqueue() bool
+	// Queues returns the device's packet queues, opening additional ones as
-	NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error)
+	// needed until there are n. Platforms without multiqueue support return
+	// their single queue regardless of n, so callers must size reader loops
+	// to len(result), not n; implementations never return more than n. An
+	// error means a queue that should have opened could not; the caller owns
+	// cleanup via Close. Called once, during interface activation.
+	Queues(n int) ([]tio.Queue, error)
 }

overlay/overlaytest/noop.go

@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@
 package overlaytest
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-	"io"
 	"net/netip"
 
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 )
 
@@ -31,20 +30,16 @@ func (NoopTun) Name() string {
 	return "noop"
 }
 
-func (NoopTun) Read([]byte) (int, error) {
+func (NoopTun) Read() ([]tio.Packet, error) {
-	return 0, nil
+	return nil, nil
 }
 
 func (NoopTun) Write([]byte) (int, error) {
 	return 0, nil
 }
 
-func (NoopTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (NoopTun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{NoopTun{}}, nil
-}
-
-func (NoopTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, errors.New("unsupported")
 }
 
 func (NoopTun) Close() error {

overlay/tio/blockon_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+//go:build linux && !android
+// +build linux,!android
+
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+// blockOn parks the calling goroutine until fd is ready (events is POLLIN for
+// reads, POLLOUT for writes) or shutdownFd signals teardown. It builds the
+// pollfd array on the stack every call, so concurrent callers on the same
+// Queue never share Revents storage.
+//
+// Returns os.ErrClosed when shutdown was signaled (POLLIN on shutdownFd)
+// or either fd reported a problem condition (POLLHUP|POLLNVAL|POLLERR).
+func blockOn(fd, shutdownFd int32, events int16) error {
+	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
+	pfds := [2]unix.PollFd{
+		{Fd: fd, Events: events},
+		{Fd: shutdownFd, Events: unix.POLLIN},
+	}
+	var err error
+	for {
+		_, err = unix.Poll(pfds[:], -1)
+		if err != unix.EINTR {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	tunEvents := pfds[0].Revents
+	shutdownEvents := pfds[1].Revents
+	// Check err before trusting the potentially bogus bits we just got.
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	return nil
+}

overlay/tio/queueset_poll_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+//go:build linux && !android
+// +build linux,!android
+
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+type pollQueueSet struct {
+	pq []*Poll
+	// pqi is exactly the same as pq, but stored as the interface type
+	pqi        []Queue
+	shutdownFd int
+	closed     atomic.Bool
+}
+
+func NewPollQueueSet() (QueueSet, error) {
+	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create eventfd: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	out := &pollQueueSet{
+		pq:         []*Poll{},
+		pqi:        []Queue{},
+		shutdownFd: shutdownFd,
+	}
+
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Queues() []Queue {
+	return c.pqi
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Add(fd int) error {
+	x, err := newPoll(fd, c.shutdownFd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	c.pq = append(c.pq, x)
+	c.pqi = append(c.pqi, x)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) wakeForShutdown() error {
+	var buf [8]byte
+	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint64(buf[:], 1)
+	_, err := unix.Write(int(c.shutdownFd), buf[:])
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Close() error {
+	if c.closed.Swap(true) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	errs := []error{}
+
+	// Wake any reader blocked in poll so it observes POLLIN on the shutdown
+	// eventfd and returns os.ErrClosed.
+	if err := c.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+	}
+
+	// Close the per-queue tun fds; this also unblocks any in-flight reads.
+	// The per-queue Close deliberately leaves shutdownFd alone - it belongs
+	// to this container.
+	for _, x := range c.pq {
+		if err := x.Close(); err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Close the shutdown eventfd last: every reader's pollfd set references
+	// it, so it must outlive the wake + per-queue teardown above.
+	if err := unix.Close(c.shutdownFd); err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+	}
+	c.shutdownFd = -1
+
+	return errors.Join(errs...)
+}

overlay/tio/single.go

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package tio
+
+import "io"
+
+// singleQueue adapts a legacy one-datagram-per-Read source into a Queue.
+// Read fills a private scratch buffer and returns exactly one Packet whose
+// Bytes borrow from that buffer, valid only until the next Read, per the
+// Queue contract. Single-reader like every Queue; Write is exactly as safe
+// for concurrent use as the underlying source's Write.
+type singleQueue struct {
+	rw     io.ReadWriter
+	closer io.Closer // nil: Close is a no-op (the source is shared and owned elsewhere)
+	buf    []byte
+	ret    [1]Packet
+}
+
+// NewSingleQueue wraps a one-datagram-per-Read ReadWriteCloser (a legacy tun
+// device) into a Queue. bufSize is the per-queue read scratch size and must
+// be at least the largest datagram the source can return. Close closes rwc.
+func NewSingleQueue(rwc io.ReadWriteCloser, bufSize int) Queue {
+	return &singleQueue{rw: rwc, closer: rwc, buf: make([]byte, bufSize)}
+}
+
+// NewSingleQueueNoClose is NewSingleQueue for a source owned by someone else,
+// e.g. several queues sharing one device. Close on the returned Queue is a
+// no-op so one queue can't tear the shared source out from under its
+// siblings; the owner remains responsible for closing the source itself.
+func NewSingleQueueNoClose(rw io.ReadWriter, bufSize int) Queue {
+	return &singleQueue{rw: rw, buf: make([]byte, bufSize)}
+}
+
+func (q *singleQueue) Read() ([]Packet, error) {
+	n, err := q.rw.Read(q.buf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	q.ret[0] = Packet{Bytes: q.buf[:n]}
+	return q.ret[:], nil
+}
+
+func (q *singleQueue) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	return q.rw.Write(p)
+}
+
+func (q *singleQueue) Close() error {
+	if q.closer == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return q.closer.Close()
+}

overlay/tio/tio.go

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"io"
+)
+
+// QueueSet holds one or many Queue objects and helps close them in an orderly way.
+type QueueSet interface {
+	io.Closer
+	Queues() []Queue
+
+	// Add takes a tun fd, adds it to the set, and prepares it for use as a Queue.
+	Add(fd int) error
+}
+
+// Queue is a readable/writable packet queue. Concurrency contract: a single
+// read goroutine drives Read; plain Write is safe for concurrent callers.
+type Queue interface {
+	io.Closer
+
+	// Read returns one or more packets. The returned Packet.Bytes slices
+	// are borrowed from the Queue's internal buffer and are only valid
+	// until the next Read or Close on this Queue - callers must encrypt
+	// or copy each slice before the next call. Single-reader only: not
+	// safe for concurrent Reads (it reuses per-queue rx scratch each call).
+	Read() ([]Packet, error)
+
+	// Write emits a single packet on the plaintext (outside→inside)
+	// delivery path. Safe for concurrent use.
+	Write(p []byte) (int, error)
+}
+
+// Packet is the unit Queue.Read returns. Bytes points into the queue's
+// internal buffer and is only valid until the next Read or Close on the
+// queue that produced it.
+type Packet struct {
+	Bytes []byte
+}
+
+// Clone returns a Packet whose Bytes is a freshly allocated copy of p.Bytes,
+// safe to retain past the next Read or Close on the originating Queue.
+// Use this only when a caller genuinely needs to outlive the borrowed-slice
+// contract — the hot path reads should continue to consume the borrow
+// synchronously to avoid the allocation.
+func (p Packet) Clone() Packet {
+	if p.Bytes == nil {
+		return p
+	}
+	cp := make([]byte, len(p.Bytes))
+	copy(cp, p.Bytes)
+	return Packet{Bytes: cp}
+}

overlay/tio/tio_poll_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+//go:build linux && !android
+// +build linux,!android
+
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+// Maximum size we accept for a single read from a TUN. 65535 covers any
+// single IP packet.
+const tunReadBufSize = 65535
+
+type Poll struct {
+	fd         int
+	shutdownFd int
+	closed     atomic.Bool
+
+	readBuf  []byte
+	batchRet [1]Packet
+}
+
+// newPoll wraps an existing tun fd. On failure it does NOT close fd: the
+// caller owns fd and is the sole closer (see pollQueueSet.Add callers in
+// overlay/tun_linux.go, which unix.Close on Add error). This keeps closes
+// at exactly one on every path.
+func newPoll(fd int, shutdownFd int) (*Poll, error) {
+	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set Poll device as nonblocking: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	out := &Poll{
+		fd:         fd,
+		shutdownFd: shutdownFd,
+		readBuf:    make([]byte, tunReadBufSize),
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// blockOnRead waits until the Poll fd is readable or shutdown has been signaled.
+// Returns os.ErrClosed if Close was called.
+func (t *Poll) blockOnRead() error {
+	return blockOn(int32(t.fd), int32(t.shutdownFd), unix.POLLIN)
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) blockOnWrite() error {
+	return blockOn(int32(t.fd), int32(t.shutdownFd), unix.POLLOUT)
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Read() ([]Packet, error) {
+	n, err := t.readOne(t.readBuf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	t.batchRet[0] = Packet{Bytes: t.readBuf[:n]}
+	return t.batchRet[:], nil
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) readOne(to []byte) (int, error) {
+	for {
+		n, errno := unix.Read(t.fd, to)
+		if errno == nil {
+			return n, nil
+		}
+		switch errno {
+		case unix.EAGAIN:
+			if err := t.blockOnRead(); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
+		case unix.EINTR:
+			// retry
+		case unix.EBADF:
+			return 0, os.ErrClosed
+		default:
+			return 0, errno
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Write is safe for concurrent use
+func (t *Poll) Write(from []byte) (int, error) {
+	for {
+		n, errno := unix.Write(t.fd, from)
+		if errno == nil {
+			return n, nil
+		}
+		switch errno {
+		case unix.EAGAIN:
+			if err := t.blockOnWrite(); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
+		case unix.EINTR:
+			// retry
+		case unix.EBADF:
+			return 0, os.ErrClosed
+		default:
+			return 0, errno
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Close() error {
+	if t.closed.Swap(true) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	//shutdownFd is owned by the container, so we should not close it
+	// Close the underlying fd but do NOT null t.fd: a reader may still be
+	// loading it in readOne, and mutating the field would race that load.
+	// It gets EBADF -> os.ErrClosed (or wakes via the shutdown eventfd's
+	// ppoll first). closed.Swap already guarantees we only close once.
+	return unix.Close(t.fd)
+}

overlay/tio/tun_file_linux_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
+// +build linux,!android,!e2e_testing
+
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+// newReadPipe returns a read fd. The matching write fd is registered for cleanup.
+// The caller takes ownership of the read fd (pass it into a QueueSet).
+func newReadPipe(t *testing.T) int {
+	t.Helper()
+	var fds [2]int
+	if err := unix.Pipe2(fds[:], unix.O_CLOEXEC); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pipe2: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(fds[1]) })
+	return fds[0]
+}
+
+func TestPoll_WakeForShutdown_WakesFriends(t *testing.T) {
+	pipe1 := newReadPipe(t)
+	pipe2 := newReadPipe(t)
+	parent, err := NewPollQueueSet()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, parent.Add(pipe1))
+	require.NoError(t, parent.Add(pipe2))
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_ = unix.Close(pipe1)
+		_ = unix.Close(pipe2)
+	})
+
+	readers := parent.Queues()
+	errs := make([]error, len(readers))
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i, r := range readers {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func(i int, r Queue) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			_, errs[i] = r.Read()
+		}(i, r)
+	}
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	if err := parent.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Close: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() { wg.Wait(); close(done) }()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("readers did not wake")
+	}
+
+	for i, err := range errs {
+		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
+			t.Errorf("reader %d: expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPoll_ConcurrentWrite_NoRace hammers a single Poll queue from two writer
+// goroutines while a reader drains the other end of the pipe. The writers
+// overflow the pipe buffer, so both repeatedly park in blockOnWrite at the same
+// time — the exact scenario that raced on the old shared writePoll member
+// array. Run under -race; a shared-array regression trips the detector here.
+func TestPoll_ConcurrentWrite_NoRace(t *testing.T) {
+	var fds [2]int
+	require.NoError(t, unix.Pipe2(fds[:], unix.O_CLOEXEC))
+	readFd, writeFd := fds[0], fds[1]
+
+	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(shutdownFd) })
+
+	p, err := newPoll(writeFd, shutdownFd)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	const writers = 2
+	const perWriter = 4000
+	payload := make([]byte, 100)
+	total := writers * perWriter * len(payload)
+
+	// Reader: drain the read end (blocking) until every writer's bytes are
+	// consumed, so the writers keep making progress rather than wedging on a
+	// permanently full pipe.
+	readDone := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(readDone)
+		buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+		got := 0
+		for got < total {
+			n, rerr := unix.Read(readFd, buf)
+			got += n
+			if rerr != nil {
+				if rerr == unix.EINTR {
+					continue
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			if n == 0 { // EOF
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for w := 0; w < writers; w++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for i := 0; i < perWriter; i++ {
+				if _, werr := p.Write(payload); werr != nil {
+					t.Errorf("write: %v", werr)
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	select {
+	case <-readDone:
+	case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("reader did not drain")
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, p.Close())
+	_ = unix.Close(readFd)
+}
+
+// TestPoll_NewPoll_DoesNotCloseFdOnFailure pins the ownership rule: when
+// newPoll fails, it must leave fd open so the caller (pollQueueSet.Add's
+// callers in tun_linux.go) is the sole closer. If newPoll also closed fd,
+// the poll path would double-close on Add error. We force the failure with
+// an O_PATH descriptor: fcntl(F_SETFL) — which SetNonblock performs — is not
+// permitted on O_PATH fds and fails with EBADF, while the fd itself stays
+// open so we can observe that newPoll left it alone.
+func TestPoll_NewPoll_DoesNotCloseFdOnFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	fd, err := unix.Open("/", unix.O_PATH|unix.O_CLOEXEC, 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(fd) })
+
+	p, err := newPoll(fd, 1)
+	require.Error(t, err, "SetNonblock on an O_PATH fd should fail")
+	require.Nil(t, p)
+
+	// If newPoll had closed fd, F_GETFD would report it closed. It staying
+	// open proves newPoll left the fd for the caller to close exactly once.
+	require.True(t, fdOpen(t, fd), "newPoll must not close fd on failure; caller is the sole closer")
+}
+
+func TestPoll_Close_Idempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	tf, err := newPoll(newReadPipe(t), 1)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first Close: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second Close should be a no-op, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// fdOpen reports whether fd currently refers to an open file description.
+// A closed (or never-allocated) fd makes F_GETFD fail with EBADF.
+func fdOpen(t *testing.T, fd int) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	_, err := unix.FcntlInt(uintptr(fd), unix.F_GETFD, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	if errors.Is(err, unix.EBADF) {
+		return false
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("unexpected fcntl(F_GETFD) error on fd %d: %v", fd, err)
+	return false
+}
+
+// TestPollQueueSet_Close_ClosesShutdownFd is the regression test for the
+// leaked shutdown eventfd: the container that owns shutdownFd must close it in
+// Close, and a second Close must be a safe no-op.
+func TestPollQueueSet_Close_ClosesShutdownFd(t *testing.T) {
+	qs, err := NewPollQueueSet()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	c, ok := qs.(*pollQueueSet)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	require.NoError(t, qs.Add(newReadPipe(t)))
+
+	shutdownFd := c.shutdownFd
+	require.True(t, fdOpen(t, shutdownFd), "shutdown eventfd should be open before Close")
+
+	require.NoError(t, qs.Close())
+	require.False(t, fdOpen(t, shutdownFd), "shutdown eventfd should be closed after Close")
+
+	// Second Close must not touch fds (shutdownFd is now -1) and must return nil.
+	require.NoError(t, qs.Close())
+}

overlay/tun_android.go

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 )
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
 	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ func (t *tun) RoutesFor(ip netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
 	return r
 }
 
-func (t tun) Activate() error {
+func (t *tun) Activate() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -95,10 +97,6 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return "android"
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for android")
 }

overlay/tun_darwin.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
@@ -606,10 +606,6 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for darwin")
 }

overlay/tun_disabled.go

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/rcrowley/go-metrics"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/iputil"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 )
 
@@ -23,6 +24,23 @@ type disabledTun struct {
 	l  *slog.Logger
 }
 
+// Read hands the next queued packet to a reader, copying it into b. Reads
+// from concurrent queues are safe: the channel receive serializes them and
+// each queue copies into its own private scratch buffer.
+func (t *disabledTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
+	r, ok := <-t.read
+	if !ok {
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+
+	t.tx.Inc(1)
+	if t.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
+		t.l.Debug("Write payload", "raw", prettyPacket(r))
+	}
+
+	return copy(b, r), nil
+}
+
 func newDisabledTun(vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, queueLen int, metricsEnabled bool, l *slog.Logger) *disabledTun {
 	tun := &disabledTun{
 		vpnNetworks: vpnNetworks,
@@ -57,24 +75,6 @@ func (*disabledTun) Name() string {
 	return "disabled"
 }
 
-func (t *disabledTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	r, ok := <-t.read
-	if !ok {
-		return 0, io.EOF
-	}
-
-	if len(r) > len(b) {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("packet larger than mtu: %d > %d bytes", len(r), len(b))
-	}
-
-	t.tx.Inc(1)
-	if t.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
-		t.l.Debug("Write payload", "raw", prettyPacket(r))
-	}
-
-	return copy(b, r), nil
-}
-
 func (t *disabledTun) handleICMPEchoRequest(b []byte) bool {
 	out := make([]byte, len(b))
 	out = iputil.CreateICMPEchoResponse(b, out)
@@ -106,12 +106,14 @@ func (t *disabledTun) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return len(b), nil
 }
 
-func (t *disabledTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *disabledTun) Queues(n int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return true
+	out := make([]tio.Queue, n)
-}
+	for i := range out {
-
+		// NoClose: the shared channel and metrics are owned by the
-func (t *disabledTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
+		// disabledTun; Close on the device tears them down once for everybody.
-	return t, nil
+		out[i] = tio.NewSingleQueueNoClose(t, defaultBatchBufSize)
+	}
+	return out, nil
 }
 
 func (t *disabledTun) Close() error {

overlay/tun_file_linux_test.go

@@ -1,120 +0,0 @@
-//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
-// +build linux,!android,!e2e_testing
-
-package overlay
-
-import (
-	"errors"
-	"os"
-	"sync"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
-)
-
-// newReadPipe returns a read fd. The matching write fd is registered for cleanup.
-// The caller takes ownership of the read fd (pass it to newTunFd / newFriend).
-func newReadPipe(t *testing.T) int {
-	t.Helper()
-	var fds [2]int
-	if err := unix.Pipe2(fds[:], unix.O_CLOEXEC); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("pipe2: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(fds[1]) })
-	return fds[0]
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_WakeForShutdown_UnblocksRead(t *testing.T) {
-	tf, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = tf.Close() })
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		_, err := tf.Read(make([]byte, 64))
-		done <- err
-	}()
-
-	// Verify Read is actually blocked in poll.
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		t.Fatalf("Read returned before shutdown signal: %v", err)
-	case <-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond):
-	}
-
-	if err := tf.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("wakeForShutdown: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
-			t.Fatalf("expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", err)
-		}
-	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("Read did not wake on shutdown")
-	}
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_WakeForShutdown_WakesFriends(t *testing.T) {
-	parent, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	friend, err := parent.newFriend(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		_ = parent.Close()
-		t.Fatalf("newFriend: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		_ = friend.Close()
-		_ = parent.Close()
-	})
-
-	readers := []*tunFile{parent, friend}
-	errs := make([]error, len(readers))
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	for i, r := range readers {
-		wg.Add(1)
-		go func(i int, r *tunFile) {
-			defer wg.Done()
-			_, errs[i] = r.Read(make([]byte, 64))
-		}(i, r)
-	}
-
-	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
-
-	if err := parent.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("wakeForShutdown: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	done := make(chan struct{})
-	go func() { wg.Wait(); close(done) }()
-	select {
-	case <-done:
-	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("readers did not wake")
-	}
-
-	for i, err := range errs {
-		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
-			t.Errorf("reader %d: expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", i, err)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_Close_Idempotent(t *testing.T) {
-	tf, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("first Close: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("second Close should be a no-op, got %v", err)
-	}
-}

overlay/tun_freebsd.go

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"io/fs"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
-
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
@@ -561,12 +560,8 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for freebsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {
@@ -659,7 +654,6 @@ func addRoute(prefix netip.Prefix, gateway netroute.Addr) error {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to create route.RouteMessage for change: %w", err)
 			}
 			_, err = unix.Write(sock, data[:])
-			fmt.Println("DOING CHANGE")
 			return err
 		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write route.RouteMessage to socket: %w", err)

overlay/tun_ios.go

@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
 type tun struct {
@@ -33,6 +35,12 @@ func newTun(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ []netip.Prefix, _ bool) (*tun, error)
 }
 
 func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
+	if err := unix.SetNonblock(deviceFd, true); err != nil {
+		// We own the fd from the moment it is handed to us, same as the reload error path below
+		_ = unix.Close(deviceFd)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set the tun fd to non-blocking mode: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	file := os.NewFile(uintptr(deviceFd), "/dev/tun")
 	t := &tun{
 		vpnNetworks:     vpnNetworks,
@@ -42,6 +50,7 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
 	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -151,10 +160,6 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return "iOS"
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for ios")
 }

overlay/tun_linux.go

@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 package overlay
 
 import (
-	"encoding/binary"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
@@ -20,180 +17,15 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
-// tunFile wraps a TUN file descriptor with poll-based reads. The FD provided will be changed to non-blocking.
-// A shared eventfd allows Close to wake all readers blocked in poll.
-type tunFile struct {
-	fd         int
-	shutdownFd int
-	lastOne    bool
-	readPoll   [2]unix.PollFd
-	writePoll  [2]unix.PollFd
-	closed     bool
-}
-
-// newFriend makes a tunFile for a MultiQueueReader that copies the shutdown eventfd from the parent tun
-func (r *tunFile) newFriend(fd int) (*tunFile, error) {
-	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set tun fd non-blocking: %w", err)
-	}
-	return &tunFile{
-		fd:         fd,
-		shutdownFd: r.shutdownFd,
-		readPoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-			{Fd: int32(r.shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-		writePoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLOUT},
-			{Fd: int32(r.shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-	}, nil
-}
-
-func newTunFd(fd int) (*tunFile, error) {
-	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set tun fd non-blocking: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create eventfd: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	out := &tunFile{
-		fd:         fd,
-		shutdownFd: shutdownFd,
-		lastOne:    true,
-		readPoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-		writePoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLOUT},
-			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-	}
-
-	return out, nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) blockOnRead() error {
-	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
-	var err error
-	for {
-		_, err = unix.Poll(r.readPoll[:], -1)
-		if err != unix.EINTR {
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	//always reset these!
-	tunEvents := r.readPoll[0].Revents
-	shutdownEvents := r.readPoll[1].Revents
-	r.readPoll[0].Revents = 0
-	r.readPoll[1].Revents = 0
-	//do the err check before trusting the potentially bogus bits we just got
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	} else if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) blockOnWrite() error {
-	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
-	var err error
-	for {
-		_, err = unix.Poll(r.writePoll[:], -1)
-		if err != unix.EINTR {
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	//always reset these!
-	tunEvents := r.writePoll[0].Revents
-	shutdownEvents := r.writePoll[1].Revents
-	r.writePoll[0].Revents = 0
-	r.writePoll[1].Revents = 0
-	//do the err check before trusting the potentially bogus bits we just got
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	} else if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Read(buf []byte) (int, error) {
-	for {
-		if n, err := unix.Read(r.fd, buf); err == nil {
-			return n, nil
-		} else if err == unix.EAGAIN {
-			if err = r.blockOnRead(); err != nil {
-				return 0, err
-			}
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EINTR {
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EBADF {
-			return 0, os.ErrClosed
-		} else {
-			return 0, err
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Write(buf []byte) (int, error) {
-	for {
-		if n, err := unix.Write(r.fd, buf); err == nil {
-			return n, nil
-		} else if err == unix.EAGAIN {
-			if err = r.blockOnWrite(); err != nil {
-				return 0, err
-			}
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EINTR {
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EBADF {
-			return 0, os.ErrClosed
-		} else {
-			return 0, err
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) wakeForShutdown() error {
-	var buf [8]byte
-	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint64(buf[:], 1)
-	_, err := unix.Write(int(r.readPoll[1].Fd), buf[:])
-	return err
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Close() error {
-	if r.closed { // avoid closing more than once. Technically a fd could get re-used, which would be a problem
-		return nil
-	}
-	r.closed = true
-	if r.lastOne {
-		_ = unix.Close(r.shutdownFd)
-	}
-	return unix.Close(r.fd)
-}
-
 type tun struct {
-	*tunFile
+	readers     tio.QueueSet
-	readers     []*tunFile
 	closeLock   sync.Mutex
 	Device      string
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
@@ -250,50 +82,57 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 	return t, nil
 }
 
+// openTunDev opens /dev/net/tun, creating the device node first if it's
+// missing (docker containers occasionally omit it).
+func openTunDev() (int, error) {
+	fd, err := unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		return fd, nil
+	}
+	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return -1, err
+	}
+	if err = os.MkdirAll("/dev/net", 0755); err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("/dev/net/tun doesn't exist, failed to mkdir -p /dev/net: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err = unix.Mknod("/dev/net/tun", unix.S_IFCHR|0600, int(unix.Mkdev(10, 200))); err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to create /dev/net/tun: %w", err)
+	}
+	fd, err = unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("created /dev/net/tun, but still failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	return fd, nil
+}
+
+// tunSetIff runs TUNSETIFF with the given flags and returns the kernel-chosen
+// device name on success.
+func tunSetIff(fd int, name string, flags uint16) (string, error) {
+	var req ifReq
+	req.Flags = flags
+	copy(req.Name[:], name)
+	if err := ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return strings.Trim(string(req.Name[:]), "\x00"), nil
+}
+
 func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, multiqueue bool) (*tun, error) {
-	// Resolve (and validate) the device name up front so a bad tun.dev fails
+	baseFlags := uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI)
-	// fast, before we open /dev/net/tun or leak a file descriptor.
+	if multiqueue {
-	tunName, err := findNextTunName(c.GetString("tun.dev", "nebula%d"))
+		baseFlags |= unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE
+	}
+	nameStr := c.GetString("tun.dev", "")
+
+	fd, err := openTunDev()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
+	name, err := tunSetIff(fd, nameStr, baseFlags)
-	fd, err := unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
 	if err != nil {
-		// If /dev/net/tun doesn't exist, try to create it (will happen in docker)
-		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			err = os.MkdirAll("/dev/net", 0755)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("/dev/net/tun doesn't exist, failed to mkdir -p /dev/net: %w", err)
-			}
-			err = unix.Mknod("/dev/net/tun", unix.S_IFCHR|0600, int(unix.Mkdev(10, 200)))
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create /dev/net/tun: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			fd, err = unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("created /dev/net/tun, but still failed: %w", err)
-			}
-		} else {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	}
-
-	var req ifReq
-	req.Flags = uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI)
-	if multiqueue {
-		req.Flags |= unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE
-	}
-	copy(req.Name[:], tunName)
-	if err = ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, &NameError{
+		return nil, &NameError{Name: nameStr, Underlying: err}
-			Name:       tunName,
-			Underlying: err,
-		}
 	}
-	name := strings.Trim(string(req.Name[:]), "\x00")
 
 	t, err := newTunGeneric(c, l, fd, vpnNetworks)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -305,78 +144,22 @@ func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, multiqueue
 	return t, nil
 }
 
-func validateTunName(tunName string) error {
+// newTunGeneric does all the stuff common to different tun initialization
-	if !strings.Contains(tunName, "%d") {
+// paths. It will close your files on error.
-		if len(tunName) >= unix.IFNAMSIZ {
-			return fmt.Errorf("tun.dev %q is not shorter than the maximum device name length of %d", tunName, unix.IFNAMSIZ)
-		}
-		return nil
-	}
-	if strings.Count(tunName, "%d") > 1 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("tun.dev template %q may only contain a single %%d", tunName)
-	}
-	if tunName == "%d" {
-		return errors.New("please don't name your tun device '%d'")
-	}
-	// The shortest name a template can produce replaces %d with a single digit;
-	// if even that is not shorter than IFNAMSIZ the template can never yield a
-	// usable name.
-	if len(tunName)-len("%d")+len("0") >= unix.IFNAMSIZ {
-		return fmt.Errorf("tun.dev template %q would result in a name that is not shorter than the maximum device name length of %d", tunName, unix.IFNAMSIZ)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// findNextTunName resolves a tun.dev value into a concrete device name. A value
-// without a "%d" is returned unchanged; a "%d" placeholder (anywhere in the
-// name) has the lowest unused integer substituted in based on the devices
-// currently present.
-func findNextTunName(tunName string) (string, error) {
-	if err := validateTunName(tunName); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	if !strings.Contains(tunName, "%d") {
-		return tunName, nil
-	}
-
-	links, err := netlink.LinkList()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	used := make(map[string]struct{}, len(links))
-	for _, link := range links {
-		used[link.Attrs().Name] = struct{}{}
-	}
-	return nextTunName(tunName, used)
-}
-
-// nextTunName substitutes the lowest unused integer into a template's "%d"
-// placeholder, skipping any name present in used. tunName is assumed to have
-// already passed validateTunName (exactly one "%d", room for a digit). It errors
-// only if every candidate that is shorter than IFNAMSIZ is already taken.
-func nextTunName(tunName string, used map[string]struct{}) (string, error) {
-	prefix, suffix, _ := strings.Cut(tunName, "%d")
-	for i := 0; ; i++ {
-		candidateName := fmt.Sprintf("%s%d%s", prefix, i, suffix)
-		if len(candidateName) >= unix.IFNAMSIZ {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("all device names matching template %q shorter than the maximum length of %d are already in use", tunName, unix.IFNAMSIZ)
-		}
-		if _, taken := used[candidateName]; !taken {
-			return candidateName, nil
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// newTunGeneric does all the stuff common to different tun initialization paths. It will close your files on error.
 func newTunGeneric(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, fd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
-	tfd, err := newTunFd(fd)
+	qs, err := tio.NewPollQueueSet()
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	err = qs.Add(fd)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = unix.Close(fd)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	t := &tun{
-		tunFile:                   tfd,
+		readers:                   qs,
-		readers:                   []*tunFile{tfd},
 		closeLock:                 sync.Mutex{},
 		vpnNetworks:               vpnNetworks,
 		TXQueueLen:                c.GetInt("tun.tx_queue", 500),
@@ -475,36 +258,41 @@ func (t *tun) reload(c *config.C, initial bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+// Queues opens additional kernel multiqueue fds until the device has n
-	return true
+// queues, then returns them all. The first queue was opened by newTun.
+func (t *tun) Queues(n int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
+	for len(t.readers.Queues()) < n {
+		if err := t.addQueue(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	return t.readers.Queues(), nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
+// addQueue opens one more IFF_MULTI_QUEUE fd on the device and adds it to
+// the queue set.
+func (t *tun) addQueue() error {
 	t.closeLock.Lock()
 	defer t.closeLock.Unlock()
 
 	fd, err := unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	var req ifReq
+	flags := uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI | unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE)
-	req.Flags = uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI | unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE)
+	if _, err = tunSetIff(fd, t.Device, flags); err != nil {
-	copy(req.Name[:], t.Device)
-	if err = ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	out, err := t.tunFile.newFriend(fd)
+	err = t.readers.Add(fd)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	t.readers = append(t.readers, out)
+	return nil
-
-	return out, nil
 }
 
 func (t *tun) RoutesFor(ip netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
@@ -837,6 +625,7 @@ func (t *tun) isGatewayInVpnNetworks(gwAddr netip.Addr) bool {
 
 func (t *tun) getGatewaysFromRoute(r *netlink.Route) routing.Gateways {
 	var gateways routing.Gateways
+
 	link, err := netlink.LinkByName(t.Device)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.l.Error("Ignoring route update: failed to get link by name", "deviceName", t.Device)
@@ -946,32 +735,10 @@ func (t *tun) Close() error {
 		t.routeChan = nil
 	}
 
-	// Signal all readers blocked in poll to wake up and exit
-	_ = t.tunFile.wakeForShutdown()
-
 	if t.ioctlFd > 0 {
 		_ = unix.Close(int(t.ioctlFd))
 		t.ioctlFd = 0
 	}
 
-	for i := range t.readers {
+	return t.readers.Close()
-		if i == 0 {
-			continue //we want to close the zeroth reader last
-		}
-		err := t.readers[i].Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.l.Error("error closing tun reader", "reader", i, "error", err)
-		} else {
-			t.l.Info("closed tun reader", "reader", i)
-		}
-	}
-
-	//this is t.readers[0] too
-	err := t.tunFile.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.l.Error("error closing tun reader", "reader", 0, "error", err)
-	} else {
-		t.l.Info("closed tun reader", "reader", 0)
-	}
-	return err
 }

overlay/tun_linux_test.go

@@ -3,12 +3,7 @@
 
 package overlay
 
-import (
+import "testing"
-	"strings"
-	"testing"
-
-	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
-)
 
 var runAdvMSSTests = []struct {
 	name     string
@@ -37,91 +32,3 @@ func TestTunAdvMSS(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
-
-func nameSet(names ...string) map[string]struct{} {
-	used := make(map[string]struct{}, len(names))
-	for _, n := range names {
-		used[n] = struct{}{}
-	}
-	return used
-}
-
-func TestValidateTunName(t *testing.T) {
-	// A device name must be shorter than IFNAMSIZ (i.e. IFNAMSIZ-1 chars max).
-	maxLenName := strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ-1)
-
-	tests := []struct {
-		name    string
-		tmpl    string
-		wantErr bool
-	}{
-		{"short literal name is fine", "nebula1", false},
-		{"literal name at the max length is fine", maxLenName, false},
-		{"literal name at IFNAMSIZ is rejected", strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ), true},
-		{"trailing template is fine", "nebula%d", false},
-		{"mid-string template is fine", "neb%dprod", false},
-		{"leading template is fine", "%dnebula", false},
-		{"template at the max static length is fine", strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ-2) + "%d", false},
-		{"bare %d is rejected", "%d", true},
-		{"multiple %d is rejected", "neb%d%dprod", true},
-		{"template with no room for a digit is rejected", strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ-1) + "%d", true},
-		{"mid-string template with no room for a digit is rejected", "neb%d" + strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ-3), true},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			err := validateTunName(tt.tmpl)
-			if tt.wantErr && err == nil {
-				t.Fatalf("expected an error for %q, got none", tt.tmpl)
-			}
-			if !tt.wantErr && err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("unexpected error for %q: %v", tt.tmpl, err)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-func TestNextTunName(t *testing.T) {
-	// A prefix long enough that only single-digit suffixes (0-9) fit within
-	// IFNAMSIZ, so marking all ten used exercises running out of names.
-	longPrefix := strings.Repeat("a", unix.IFNAMSIZ-2)
-	longUsed := make([]string, 0, 10)
-	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
-		longUsed = append(longUsed, longPrefix+string(rune('0'+i)))
-	}
-
-	tests := []struct {
-		name    string
-		tmpl    string
-		used    map[string]struct{}
-		want    string
-		wantErr bool
-	}{
-		{"nothing used picks zero", "nebula%d", nil, "nebula0", false},
-		{"skips taken names", "nebula%d", nameSet("nebula0", "nebula1"), "nebula2", false},
-		{"picks the lowest free index", "nebula%d", nameSet("nebula0", "nebula2"), "nebula1", false},
-		{"ignores unrelated names", "nebula%d", nameSet("eth0", "tun5"), "nebula0", false},
-		{"mid-string placeholder picks zero", "neb%dprod", nil, "neb0prod", false},
-		{"mid-string placeholder skips taken", "neb%dprod", nameSet("neb0prod", "neb1prod"), "neb2prod", false},
-		{"leading placeholder picks zero", "%dnebula", nameSet("tun0"), "0nebula", false},
-		{"runs out of names within IFNAMSIZ", longPrefix + "%d", nameSet(longUsed...), "", true},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			got, err := nextTunName(tt.tmpl, tt.used)
-			if tt.wantErr {
-				if err == nil {
-					t.Fatalf("expected an error, got name %q", got)
-				}
-				return
-			}
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
-			}
-			if got != tt.want {
-				t.Errorf("got %q, want %q", got, tt.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}

overlay/tun_netbsd.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -17,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
@@ -390,12 +390,8 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for netbsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {

overlay/tun_openbsd.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -17,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ func tunWritev(fd int, iovecs []unix.Iovec) (n int, err error)
 //go:noescape
 func tunReadv(fd int, iovecs []unix.Iovec) (n int, err error)
 
-// Read pulls one IP packet off the tun device, scattering the 4 byte protocol header away from the
+// Read pulls one IP packet off the tun device, scattering the 4 byte protocol header away from
-// packet so the payload lands directly in to.
+// the packet so the payload lands directly in to.
 func (t *tun) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
 	var head [4]byte
 
@@ -369,12 +369,8 @@ func (t *tun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *tun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for openbsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {

overlay/tun_tester.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
 )
@@ -177,10 +178,6 @@ func (t *TestTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return n, nil
 }
 
-func (t *TestTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *TestTun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, udp.MTU)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *TestTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented")
 }

overlay/tun_windows.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"crypto"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wintun"
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ type winTun struct {
 	tun *wintun.NativeTun
 }
 
+func (t *winTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
+	return t.tun.Read(b, 0)
+}
+
 func newTunFromFd(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ int, _ []netip.Prefix) (Device, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("newTunFromFd not supported in Windows")
 }
@@ -255,20 +259,12 @@ func (t *winTun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *winTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	return t.tun.Read(b, 0)
-}
-
 func (t *winTun) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return t.tun.Write(b, 0)
 }
 
-func (t *winTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (t *winTun) Queues(int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return false
+	return []tio.Queue{tio.NewSingleQueue(t, defaultBatchBufSize)}, nil
-}
-
-func (t *winTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for windows")
 }
 
 func (t *winTun) Close() error {

overlay/user.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"net/netip"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 )
 
@@ -46,12 +47,16 @@ func (d *UserDevice) RoutesFor(ip netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
 	return routing.Gateways{routing.NewGateway(ip, 1)}
 }
 
-func (d *UserDevice) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
+func (d *UserDevice) Queues(n int) ([]tio.Queue, error) {
-	return true
+	out := make([]tio.Queue, n)
-}
+	for i := range out {
-
+		// All queues share the underlying pipes (the io.Pipe serializes
-func (d *UserDevice) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
+		// concurrent callers) but each owns a private scratch buffer so
-	return d, nil
+		// concurrent Reads across queues never alias. NoClose: the pipes are
+		// owned by the UserDevice and torn down once by UserDevice.Close.
+		out[i] = tio.NewSingleQueueNoClose(d, defaultBatchBufSize)
+	}
+	return out, nil
 }
 
 func (d *UserDevice) Pipe() (*io.PipeReader, *io.PipeWriter) {
@@ -61,9 +66,11 @@ func (d *UserDevice) Pipe() (*io.PipeReader, *io.PipeWriter) {
 func (d *UserDevice) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return d.outboundReader.Read(p)
 }
+
 func (d *UserDevice) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return d.inboundWriter.Write(p)
 }
+
 func (d *UserDevice) Close() error {
 	d.inboundWriter.Close()
 	d.outboundWriter.Close()

overlay/user_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+package overlay
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net/netip"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
+)
+
+// newTestUserDevice returns the concrete *UserDevice so tests can reach Pipe()
+// and the internal queue plumbing.
+func newTestUserDevice(t *testing.T) *UserDevice {
+	t.Helper()
+	dev, err := NewUserDevice([]netip.Prefix{netip.MustParsePrefix("10.0.0.1/24")})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewUserDevice: %v", err)
+	}
+	ud, ok := dev.(*UserDevice)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("NewUserDevice returned %T, want *UserDevice", dev)
+	}
+	return ud
+}
+
+// TestUserDeviceReadersDistinctBuffers ensures each Queue is actually different
+func TestUserDeviceReadersDistinctBuffers(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestUserDevice(t)
+
+	readers, err := d.Queues(2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Queues: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(readers) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Queues(2) returned %d queues, want 2", len(readers))
+	}
+
+	// Distinct queue objects.
+	if readers[0] == readers[1] {
+		t.Fatal("Queues(2) returned the same queue object twice")
+	}
+
+	// Drive one packet through each queue and confirm the borrowed bytes from
+	// the first read are NOT clobbered by the second read. With a shared
+	// buffer, reading pkt1 into q1 would corrupt q0's still-borrowed slice.
+	_, ow := d.Pipe()
+
+	pkt0 := []byte("packet-zero-aaaaaaaa")
+	pkt1 := []byte("packet-one-bbbbbbbbb")
+
+	// The pipe is unbuffered, so writes block until a reader consumes them.
+	// Serialize: write pkt0 (read on q0), then write pkt1 (read on q1).
+	go func() {
+		if _, err := ow.Write(pkt0); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("write pkt0: %v", err)
+		}
+		if _, err := ow.Write(pkt1); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("write pkt1: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	got0, err := readers[0].Read()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("q0.Read: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(got0) != 1 || string(got0[0].Bytes) != string(pkt0) {
+		t.Fatalf("q0 first read = %q, want %q", firstBytes(got0), pkt0)
+	}
+	// Hold onto q0's borrowed slice across q1's read.
+	borrowed := got0[0].Bytes
+
+	got1, err := readers[1].Read()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("q1.Read: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(got1) != 1 || string(got1[0].Bytes) != string(pkt1) {
+		t.Fatalf("q1 read = %q, want %q", firstBytes(got1), pkt1)
+	}
+
+	// q0's borrowed bytes must still hold pkt0 - a shared buffer would now
+	// show pkt1's contents.
+	if string(borrowed) != string(pkt0) {
+		t.Fatalf("q0 borrowed bytes were clobbered by q1's read: got %q, want %q", borrowed, pkt0)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestUserDeviceReadersConcurrentRace exercises two queues reading distinct
+// packets concurrently. Run it under `go test -race`: with the old
+// shared-buffer implementation the concurrent Reads raced on readBuf/batchRet
+// and corrupted each other's returned slices.
+func TestUserDeviceReadersConcurrentRace(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestUserDevice(t)
+	readers, err := d.Queues(2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Queues: %v", err)
+	}
+	_, ow := d.Pipe()
+
+	const iterations = 200
+
+	errs := make(chan error, 3)
+
+	// Each reader parks in Read on the shared outboundReader; io.Pipe hands
+	// each write to whichever reader is currently waiting. We only care that
+	// concurrent Reads into distinct buffers are race-free, so any parked
+	// reader may serve any write.
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	run := func(idx int) {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		for i := 0; i < iterations; i++ {
+			pkts, err := readers[idx].Read()
+			if err != nil {
+				errs <- err
+				return
+			}
+			if len(pkts) != 1 {
+				errs <- fmt.Errorf("reader %d: got %d packets, want 1", idx, len(pkts))
+				return
+			}
+			// Touch every byte of the borrowed slice while the other reader
+			// may be mid-Read; a shared buffer would race here.
+			total := 0
+			for _, c := range pkts[0].Bytes {
+				total += int(c)
+			}
+			_ = total
+		}
+	}
+
+	wg.Add(2)
+	go run(0)
+	go run(1)
+
+	// Feed 2*iterations packets. io.Pipe copies each write straight into the
+	// waiting reader's private buffer, so reusing buf between writes is safe.
+	go func() {
+		buf := make([]byte, 32)
+		for i := 0; i < 2*iterations; i++ {
+			for j := range buf {
+				buf[j] = byte(i + j)
+			}
+			if _, err := ow.Write(buf); err != nil {
+				errs <- err
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	wg.Wait()
+	select {
+	case err := <-errs:
+		t.Fatalf("concurrent reader failed: %v", err)
+	default:
+	}
+}
+
+func firstBytes(p []tio.Packet) []byte {
+	if len(p) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return p[0].Bytes
+}

relay_manager.go

@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ func (rm *relayManager) StartRelays(f *Interface, vpnIp netip.Addr, hh *Handshak
 			if relayHostInfo.GetRemote().IsValid() {
 				idx, err := AddRelay(rm.l, relayHostInfo, rm.hostmap, vpnIp, nil, TerminalType, Requested)
 				if err != nil {
+					// No local relay state was installed, so a CreateRelayRequest would hand the
+					// peer an index we could never resolve. Skip it.
 					hl.Info("Failed to add relay to hostmap", "relay", relay.String(), "error", err)
+					continue
 				}
 
 				m := NebulaControl{
@@ -237,7 +240,12 @@ func AddRelay(l *slog.Logger, relayHostInfo *HostInfo, hm *HostMap, vpnIp netip.
 			// Avoid standing up a relay that can't be used since only the primary hostinfo
 			// will be pointed to by the relay logic
 			//TODO: if there was an existing primary and it had relay state, should we merge?
-			hm.unlockedMakePrimary(relayHostInfo)
+			if !hm.unlockedMakePrimary(relayHostInfo) {
+				// The tunnel was torn down after the caller grabbed relayHostInfo. A relay standing
+				// on an unlinked hostinfo would never carry traffic, and its Relays entry could
+				// never be reclaimed since the delete-time cleanup has already run.
+				return 0, errors.New("relay hostinfo is no longer in the hostmap")
+			}
 
 			hm.Relays[index] = relayHostInfo
 			newRelay := Relay{

service/service.go

@@ -43,12 +43,25 @@ type Service struct {
 	}
 }
 
-func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
+func New(control *nebula.Control) (_ *Service, reterr error) {
-	wait, err := control.Start()
+	// Check this before Start so a failure doesn't leave a running nebula
+	device, ok := control.Device().(*overlay.UserDevice)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("must be using user device")
+	}
+
+	err := control.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// Anything that fails after a successful Start must tear nebula back down
+	defer func() {
+		if reterr != nil {
+			control.Stop()
+		}
+	}()
+
 	ctx := control.Context()
 	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	s := Service{
@@ -57,11 +70,6 @@ func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
 	}
 	s.mu.listeners = map[uint16]*tcpListener{}
 
-	device, ok := control.Device().(*overlay.UserDevice)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil, errors.New("must be using user device")
-	}
-
 	s.ipstack = stack.New(stack.Options{
 		NetworkProtocols:   []stack.NetworkProtocolFactory{ipv4.NewProtocol, ipv6.NewProtocol},
 		TransportProtocols: []stack.TransportProtocolFactory{tcp.NewProtocol, udp.NewProtocol, icmp.NewProtocol4, icmp.NewProtocol6},
@@ -147,7 +155,7 @@ func New(control *nebula.Control) (*Service, error) {
 	// Add the nebula wait function to the group so a fatal reader error
 	// propagates out through errgroup.Wait().
 	eg.Go(func() error {
-		return wait()
+		return control.Wait()
 	})
 
 	return &s, nil

util/cpupin_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
+
+package util
+
+import (
+	"runtime"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+// PinThreadToCPU restricts the calling OS thread to the given CPU via
+// sched_setaffinity(2). Combined with runtime.LockOSThread on the
+// goroutine, this prevents the kernel from migrating us across CPUs and
+// in turn keeps every UDP send from this goroutine going through the
+// same XPS-selected TX ring, eliminating the wire-side reorder that
+// otherwise fragments one nebula flow across multiple rings.
+func PinThreadToCPU(cpu int) error {
+	runtime.LockOSThread()
+	var set unix.CPUSet
+	set.Zero()
+	set.Set(cpu)
+	return unix.SchedSetaffinity(0, &set)
+}
+
+// AllowedCPUs returns the CPU IDs the calling process is currently allowed to
+// run on, as reported by sched_getaffinity(2). Under a cgroup cpuset or a
+// `taskset` mask the allowed IDs are frequently not the contiguous range
+// 0..NumCPU-1 (e.g. pinned to CPUs 4-7: NumCPU reports 4 while the valid IDs
+// are 4,5,6,7). Callers that need a real CPU to pin to must choose from this
+// set rather than assuming i % NumCPU is runnable, or every pin fails.
+func AllowedCPUs() ([]int, error) {
+	var set unix.CPUSet
+	if err := unix.SchedGetaffinity(0, &set); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	cpus := make([]int, 0, set.Count())
+	for cpu := 0; cpu < len(set)*64; cpu++ {
+		if set.IsSet(cpu) {
+			cpus = append(cpus, cpu)
+		}
+	}
+	return cpus, nil
+}

util/cpupin_other.go

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//go:build !linux || android || e2e_testing
+
+package util
+
+// PinThreadToCPU is a no-op outside Linux: only Linux exposes a stable
+// per-thread CPU affinity API and only Linux has XPS-driven TX ring
+// selection in the first place. On every other platform there's nothing
+// to fix here.
+func PinThreadToCPU(_ int) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// AllowedCPUs has no meaningful answer off Linux (no sched_getaffinity), so it
+// reports "unknown" by returning a nil slice and nil error. Callers treat an
+// empty result as "fall back to the default CPU choice".
+func AllowedCPUs() ([]int, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}