Skip to content
DenseChip
Learn
PracticeCode labInterview

DenseChip

Navigate

Menu

LearnPracticeCode labInterview

Tools

All toolsSV editorCode repoResume
DenseChip

Practice, courses, and chip-design tools in one focused workspace.

LearnPracticeCode labInterviewToolsLearning paths

© 2026 DenseChip

AboutContactPrivacyTerms
Skip to lesson

Course contents

  • How to Use This Puzzle Bank
  • SystemVerilog Language Puzzles25
  • Difficulty Guide
  • Full Topic Map
  • Interview-Day Tips
  • OOP & Testbench Puzzles25
  • Concurrency & Timing Puzzles25
  • Randomization & Constraint Puzzles25
  • SVA Assertion Puzzles25
  • Functional Coverage Puzzles25
  • Logic & Aptitude Puzzles25
  • Scenario & Debug Puzzles25
    • Testbench Debug Puzzles: Why Did the Test Hang?
    • Deadlock Scenario Puzzles: Objection and Phase Stalls
      • Early Return Leaves Objection Raised
      • fork...join_none Thread Leak
      • Semaphore Token Leak on Error Path
      • Mailbox Consumer Blocks Forever
      • Lock Inversion with Two Semaphores
      • Child Sequence Raises Objection but Never Drops
    • Scoreboard Puzzles: Mismatch or Ordering Bug?
    • Real Interview Rounds: End-to-End Debug Walkthrough
    • Scenario & Debug Puzzles: Tricky Q&A
  • Interview Prep: Puzzle Rounds5
  • DV Puzzle Cheatsheet
Loading lesson

‹Deadlock Scenario Puzzles: Objection and Phase Stalls
  1. Topics
  2. DV Interview Puzzles
  3. Scenario & Debug Puzzles
  4. Deadlock Scenario Puzzles: Objection and Phase Stalls
  5. Child Sequence Raises Objection but Never Drops

VLSI DV Interview Puzzles · All levels

Child Sequence Raises Objection but Never Drops

Top-level virtual sequence finishes, but phase still blocked by nested child sequence. Objection trace points to child object that no longer logs progress.

On this page

    Puzzle

    Difficulty: Hard · Puzzle 6 of 6 · Topic: Deadlock Scenario Puzzles: Objection and Phase Stalls

    Top-level virtual sequence finishes, but phase still blocked by nested child sequence. Objection trace points to child object that no longer logs progress.

    Code

    design.sv
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    class child_seq extends uvm_sequence #(my_item);
      virtual task body();
        starting_phase.raise_objection(this);
        if (!wait_for_link_up(1000)) begin
          \`uvm_error("LINK", "link never up")
          disable fork; // bug: exits scope without drop
        end
        starting_phase.drop_objection(this);
      endtask
    endclass

    Hint

    Nested sequence error handling often bypasses final cleanup.

    Step-by-step solution

    Diagram
    1) Confirm unresolved objection owner from trace belongs to child_seq instance.
    2) Inspect error path and find disable/return path that skips drop_objection.
    3) Rework body into guarded flow with guaranteed drop in final block.
    4) Add timeout-specific cleanup and propagate failure upward cleanly.
    5) Add regression where link never comes up and assert phase still exits.

    Answer

    Answer: Bug: child raises objection then exits via disable path before drop. Fix: ensure drop executes in all error/timeout exits and avoid non-local exits that bypass cleanup.

    Why candidates get it wrong

    When parent completes, engineers assume all child objections are gone; not true.

    Interviewer follow-up

    How would you report child failure to parent while still preserving objection symmetry?

    Related topics

    • Back to Deadlock Scenario Puzzles: Objection and Phase Stalls

    • Scenario & Debug Puzzles section

    Previous

    191 / 210

    Next: Scoreboard Puzzles: Mismatch or Ordering Bug?

    Up next

    Up nextScoreboard Puzzles: Mismatch or Ordering Bug?

    Sign in to save progress

    Practice this lessonReport an error

    See also

    • Early Return Leaves Objection Raised
    • fork...join_none Thread Leak
    • Semaphore Token Leak on Error Path