ClusterLabs · nrwahl2 · Jul 25, 2026 · Jul 25, 2026 · Jul 25, 2026 · Jul 25, 2026
diff --git a/daemons/controld/controld_fencing.c b/daemons/controld/controld_fencing.c
@@ -654,11 +654,6 @@ controld_timer_fencer_connect(void *user_data)
 
     if (fencer_api == NULL) {
         fencer_api = stonith__api_new();
-        if (fencer_api == NULL) {
-            pcmk__err("Could not connect to fencer: API memory allocation "
-                      "failed");
-            return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
-        }
     }
 
     if (fencer_api->state != stonith_disconnected) {

diff --git a/daemons/execd/pacemaker-execd.c b/daemons/execd/pacemaker-execd.c
@@ -76,11 +76,6 @@ execd_get_fencer_connection(void)
         int rc = pcmk_ok;
 
         fencer_api = stonith__api_new();
-        if (fencer_api == NULL) {
-            pcmk__err("Could not connect to fencer: API memory allocation "
-                      "failed");
-            return NULL;
-        }
 
         rc = stonith__api_connect_retry(fencer_api, crm_system_name, 10);
         if (rc != pcmk_rc_ok) {

diff --git a/daemons/fenced/cts-fence-helper.c b/daemons/fenced/cts-fence-helper.c
@@ -644,12 +644,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     st = stonith__api_new();
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        exit_code = CRM_EX_DISCONNECT;
-        g_set_error(&error, PCMK__EXITC_ERROR, exit_code,
-                    "Could not connect to fencer: API memory allocation failed");
-        goto done;
-    }
 
     switch (options.mode) {
         case test_standard:

diff --git a/daemons/fenced/fenced_commands.c b/daemons/fenced/fenced_commands.c
@@ -1033,12 +1033,6 @@ get_agent_metadata(const char *agent, xmlNode ** metadata)
 
     st = stonith__api_new();
 
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        pcmk__warn("Could not get agent meta-data: API memory allocation "
-                   "failed");
-        return EAGAIN;
-    }
-
     rc = st->cmds->metadata(st, st_opt_sync_call, agent, NULL, &buffer, 10);
     stonith__api_free(st);
 

diff --git a/include/crm/fencing/internal.h b/include/crm/fencing/internal.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2011-2025 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ * Copyright 2011-2026 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ stonith__op_state_pending(enum op_state state)
     return state != st_failed && state != st_done;
 }
 
-gboolean stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node(const char *node);
-gboolean stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(stonith_t *st, const char *node);
+bool stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node(const char *node);
+bool stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(stonith_t *st, const char *node);
 
 /*!
  * \internal

diff --git a/lib/fencing/st_client.c b/lib/fencing/st_client.c
@@ -176,71 +176,73 @@ get_namespace_from_agent(const char *agent)
     return st_namespace_invalid;
 }
 
-gboolean
-stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(stonith_t *st, const char *node)
+bool
+stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(stonith_t *stonith,
+                                               const char *node)
 {
-    gboolean rv = FALSE;
-    stonith_t *stonith_api = (st != NULL)? st : stonith__api_new();
+    int rc = pcmk_ok;
+    bool enabled = false;
     char *list = NULL;
+    GList *targets = NULL;
 
-    if(stonith_api) {
-        if (stonith_api->state == stonith_disconnected) {
-            int rc = stonith_api->cmds->connect(stonith_api, "stonith-api", NULL);
+    pcmk__assert((stonith != NULL) && (stonith->state != stonith_disconnected));
 
-            if (rc != pcmk_ok) {
-                pcmk__err("Failed connecting to Stonith-API for "
-                          "watchdog-fencing-query");
-            }
-        }
+    /* caveat!!!
+     * this might fail when the fencer is just updating the device-list
+     * probably something we should fix as well for other api-calls */
+    rc = stonith->cmds->list(stonith, st_opt_sync_call, STONITH_WATCHDOG_ID,
+                             &list, 0);
 
-        if (stonith_api->state != stonith_disconnected) {
-            /* caveat!!!
-             * this might fail when the fencer is just updating the device-list
-             * probably something we should fix as well for other api-calls */
-            int rc = stonith_api->cmds->list(stonith_api, st_opt_sync_call, STONITH_WATCHDOG_ID, &list, 0);
-            if ((rc != pcmk_ok) || (list == NULL)) {
-                /* due to the race described above it can happen that
-                 * we drop in here - so as not to make remote nodes
-                 * panic on that answer
-                 */
-                if (rc == -ENODEV) {
-                    pcmk__notice("Cluster does not have watchdog fencing "
-                                 "device");
-                } else {
-                    pcmk__warn("Could not check for watchdog fencing device: %s",
-                               pcmk_strerror(rc));
-                }
-            } else if (list[0] == '\0') {
-                rv = TRUE;
-            } else {
-                GList *targets = stonith__parse_targets(list);
-                rv = pcmk__str_in_list(node, targets, pcmk__str_casei);
-                g_list_free_full(targets, free);
-            }
-            free(list);
-            if (!st) {
-                /* if we're provided the api we still might have done the
-                 * connection - but let's assume the caller won't bother
-                 */
-                stonith_api->cmds->disconnect(stonith_api);
-            }
-        }
+    if ((rc != pcmk_ok) || (list == NULL)) {
+        /* due to the race described above it can happen that
+         * we drop in here - so as not to make remote nodes
+         * panic on that answer
+         */
+        if (rc == -ENODEV) {
+            pcmk__debug("Cluster does not have watchdog fencing device");
 
-        if (!st) {
-            stonith__api_free(stonith_api);
+        } else {
+            pcmk__warn("Could not check for watchdog fencing device: %s",
+                       pcmk_strerror(rc));
         }
-    } else {
-        pcmk__err("Stonith-API for watchdog-fencing-query couldn't be created");
+
+        goto done;
+    }
+
+    if (list[0] == '\0') {
+        enabled = true;
+        goto done;
     }
-    pcmk__trace("Pacemaker assumes node %s %sto do watchdog-fencing", node,
-                (rv? "" : "not "));
-    return rv;
+
+    targets = stonith__parse_targets(list);
+    enabled = pcmk__str_in_list(node, targets, pcmk__str_casei);
+
+done:
+    free(list);
+    g_list_free_full(targets, free);
+    return enabled;
 }
 
-gboolean
+bool
 stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node(const char *node)
 {
-    return stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(NULL, node);
+    stonith_t *stonith = stonith__api_new();
+    int rc = pcmk_ok;
+    bool enabled = false;
+
+    rc = stonith->cmds->connect(stonith, "stonith-api", NULL);
+    if (rc != pcmk_ok) {
+        pcmk__err("Failed to connect to fencer API for watchdog query: %s",
+                  pcmk_strerror(rc));
+        goto done;
+    }
+
+    enabled = stonith__watchdog_fencing_enabled_for_node_api(stonith, node);
+
+done:
+    stonith->cmds->disconnect(stonith);
+    stonith__api_free(stonith);
+    return enabled;
 }
 
 /* when cycling through the list we don't want to delete items
@@ -2105,11 +2107,6 @@ stonith_api_kick(uint32_t nodeid, const char *uname, int timeout, bool off)
     const char *action = off? PCMK_ACTION_OFF : PCMK_ACTION_REBOOT;
 
     api_log_open();
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        api_log(LOG_ERR, "API initialization failed, could not kick (%s) node %u/%s",
-                action, nodeid, uname);
-        return -EPROTO;
-    }
 
     rc = st->cmds->connect(st, "stonith-api", NULL);
     if (rc != pcmk_ok) {
@@ -2147,12 +2144,6 @@ stonith_api_time(uint32_t nodeid, const char *uname, bool in_progress)
     stonith_t *st = stonith__api_new();
     stonith_history_t *history = NULL, *hp = NULL;
 
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        api_log(LOG_ERR, "Could not retrieve fence history for %u/%s: "
-                "API initialization failed", nodeid, uname);
-        return when;
-    }
-
     rc = st->cmds->connect(st, "stonith-api", NULL);
     if (rc != pcmk_ok) {
         api_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Connection failed: %s (%d)", pcmk_strerror(rc), rc);
@@ -2224,10 +2215,6 @@ stonith__agent_exists(const char *name)
     }
 
     stonith_api = stonith__api_new();
-    if (stonith_api == NULL) {
-        pcmk__err("Could not list fence agents: API memory allocation failed");
-        return false;
-    }
 
     // The list_agents method ignores its timeout argument
     stonith_api->cmds->list_agents(stonith_api, st_opt_sync_call, NULL, &agents,

diff --git a/lib/lrmd/lrmd_client.c b/lib/lrmd/lrmd_client.c
@@ -1955,10 +1955,6 @@ list_stonith_agents(lrmd_list_t **resources)
     stonith_key_value_t *stonith_resources = NULL;
     stonith_key_value_t *dIter = NULL;
 
-    if (stonith_api == NULL) {
-        pcmk__err("Could not list fence agents: API memory allocation failed");
-        return -ENOMEM;
-    }
     stonith_api->cmds->list_agents(stonith_api, st_opt_sync_call, NULL,
                                    &stonith_resources, 0);
     stonith_api->cmds->free(stonith_api);
@@ -2111,12 +2107,6 @@ stonith_get_metadata(const char *type, char **output)
     int rc = pcmk_ok;
     stonith_t *stonith_api = stonith__api_new();
 
-    if (stonith_api == NULL) {
-        pcmk__err("Could not get fence agent meta-data: API memory allocation "
-                  "failed");
-        return -ENOMEM;
-    }
-
     rc = stonith_api->cmds->metadata(stonith_api, st_opt_sync_call, type, NULL,
                                      output, 0);
     if ((rc == pcmk_ok) && (*output == NULL)) {

diff --git a/lib/pacemaker/pcmk_setup.c b/lib/pacemaker/pcmk_setup.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2024-2025 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ * Copyright 2024-2026 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
@@ -104,9 +104,6 @@ pcmk__setup_output_fencing(pcmk__output_t **out, stonith_t **st, xmlNode **xml)
     }
 
     *st = stonith__api_new();
-    if (*st == NULL) {
-        return ENOMEM;
-    }
 
     rc = (*st)->cmds->connect(*st, crm_system_name, NULL);
     if (rc < 0) {

diff --git a/lib/pacemaker/pcmk_status.c b/lib/pacemaker/pcmk_status.c
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ fencing_connect(void)
     stonith_t *st = stonith__api_new();
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
 
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     rc = st->cmds->connect(st, crm_system_name, NULL);
     if (rc == pcmk_rc_ok) {
         return st;

diff --git a/tools/crm_mon.c b/tools/crm_mon.c
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ setup_fencer_connection(void)
         st = stonith__api_new();
     }
 
-    if (!options.fence_connect || st == NULL || st->state != stonith_disconnected) {
+    if (!options.fence_connect || (st->state != stonith_disconnected)) {
         return rc;
     }
 

diff --git a/tools/stonith_admin.c b/tools/stonith_admin.c
@@ -570,11 +570,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     out->quiet = args->quiet;
 
     st = stonith__api_new();
-    if (st == NULL) {
-        rc = -ENOMEM;
-    } else if (!no_connect) {
+
+    if (!no_connect) {
         rc = st->cmds->connect(st, name, NULL);
     }
+
     if (rc < 0) {
         out->err(out, "Could not connect to fencer: %s", pcmk_strerror(rc));
         exit_code = CRM_EX_DISCONNECT;