diff --git a/drivers/thermal/gov_step_wise.c b/drivers/thermal/gov_step_wise.c
index d1bb59f..ea277c4 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/gov_step_wise.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/gov_step_wise.c
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@
  * If the temperature is higher than a trip point,
  *    a. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_RAISING, use higher cooling
  *       state for this trip point
- *    b. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING, do nothing
+ *    b. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING, use a lower cooling state
+ *       for this trip point, but keep the cooling state above the applicable
+ *       minimum
  * If the temperature is lower than a trip point,
  *    a. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_RAISING, do nothing
- *    b. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING, use lower cooling
- *       state for this trip point, if the cooling state already
+ *    b. if the trend is THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING, use the minimum applicable
+ *       cooling state for this trip point, or if the cooling state already
  *       equals lower limit, deactivate the thermal instance
  */
 static unsigned long get_target_state(struct thermal_instance *instance,
@@ -51,6 +53,17 @@ static unsigned long get_target_state(struct thermal_instance *instance,
 	if (throttle) {
 		if (trend == THERMAL_TREND_RAISING)
 			return clamp(cur_state + 1, instance->lower, instance->upper);
+
+		/*
+		 * If the zone temperature is falling, the cooling level can
+		 * be reduced, but it should still be above the lower state of
+		 * the given thermal instance to pull the temperature further
+		 * down.
+		 */
+		if (trend == THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING)
+			return clamp(cur_state - 1,
+				     min(instance->lower + 1, instance->upper),
+				     instance->upper);
 	} else if (trend == THERMAL_TREND_DROPPING) {
 		if (cur_state <= instance->lower)
 			return THERMAL_NO_TARGET;
@@ -69,16 +82,14 @@ static void thermal_zone_trip_update(struct thermal_zone_device *tz,
 				     const struct thermal_trip_desc *td,
 				     int trip_threshold)
 {
+	bool throttle = tz->temperature >= trip_threshold;
 	const struct thermal_trip *trip = &td->trip;
 	enum thermal_trend trend = get_tz_trend(tz, trip);
 	int trip_id = thermal_zone_trip_id(tz, trip);
 	struct thermal_instance *instance;
-	bool throttle = false;
 
-	if (tz->temperature >= trip_threshold) {
-		throttle = true;
+	if (throttle)
 		trace_thermal_zone_trip(tz, trip_id, trip->type);
-	}
 
 	dev_dbg(&tz->device, "Trip%d[type=%d,temp=%d]:trend=%d,throttle=%d\n",
 		trip_id, trip->type, trip_threshold, trend, throttle);
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/testing/zone.c b/drivers/thermal/testing/zone.c
index 4257d81..c12c405 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/testing/zone.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/testing/zone.c
@@ -184,15 +184,14 @@ static void tt_add_tz_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
 
 int tt_add_tz(void)
 {
-	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(kfree);
-	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	int ret;
 
-	tt_zone = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_zone), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(kfree) = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_zone),
+								GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tt_zone)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	tt_work = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree) = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tt_work)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -237,7 +236,6 @@ static void tt_zone_unregister_tz(struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone)
 
 int tt_del_tz(const char *arg)
 {
-	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone, *aux;
 	int ret;
 	int id;
@@ -246,7 +244,7 @@ int tt_del_tz(const char *arg)
 	if (ret != 1)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	tt_work = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree) = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tt_work)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -330,20 +328,17 @@ static void tt_zone_add_trip_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
 
 int tt_zone_add_trip(const char *arg)
 {
-	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone) = NULL;
-	struct tt_trip *tt_trip __free(kfree) = NULL;
-	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree);
 	int id;
 
-	tt_work = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct tt_work *tt_work __free(kfree) = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_work), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tt_work)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	tt_trip = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_trip), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct tt_trip *tt_trip __free(kfree) = kzalloc(sizeof(*tt_trip), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tt_trip)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	tt_zone = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
+	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone) = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
 	if (IS_ERR(tt_zone))
 		return PTR_ERR(tt_zone);
 
@@ -387,7 +382,6 @@ static const struct thermal_zone_device_ops tt_zone_ops = {
 
 static int tt_zone_register_tz(struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone)
 {
-	struct thermal_trip *trips __free(kfree) = NULL;
 	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
 	struct tt_trip *tt_trip;
 	int i;
@@ -397,7 +391,8 @@ static int tt_zone_register_tz(struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone)
 	if (tt_zone->tz)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	trips = kcalloc(tt_zone->num_trips, sizeof(*trips), GFP_KERNEL);
+	struct thermal_trip *trips __free(kfree) = kcalloc(tt_zone->num_trips,
+							   sizeof(*trips), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!trips)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -421,9 +416,7 @@ static int tt_zone_register_tz(struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone)
 
 int tt_zone_reg(const char *arg)
 {
-	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone);
-
-	tt_zone = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
+	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone) = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
 	if (IS_ERR(tt_zone))
 		return PTR_ERR(tt_zone);
 
@@ -432,9 +425,7 @@ int tt_zone_reg(const char *arg)
 
 int tt_zone_unreg(const char *arg)
 {
-	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone);
-
-	tt_zone = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
+	struct tt_thermal_zone *tt_zone __free(put_tt_zone) = tt_get_tt_zone(arg);
 	if (IS_ERR(tt_zone))
 		return PTR_ERR(tt_zone);
 
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_hwmon.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_hwmon.c
index 0ecccd4..64cc3ab 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_hwmon.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_hwmon.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ thermal_hwmon_lookup_by_type(const struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 
 	mutex_lock(&thermal_hwmon_list_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(hwmon, &thermal_hwmon_list, node) {
-		strcpy(type, tz->type);
+		strscpy(type, tz->type);
 		strreplace(type, '-', '_');
 		if (!strcmp(hwmon->type, type)) {
 			mutex_unlock(&thermal_hwmon_list_lock);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/thermal/intel/workload_hint/workload_hint_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/thermal/intel/workload_hint/workload_hint_test.c
index ba58589..ca2bd03 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/thermal/intel/workload_hint/workload_hint_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/thermal/intel/workload_hint/workload_hint_test.c
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			ret = sscanf(index_str, "%d", &index);
 			if (ret < 0)
 				break;
+
+			index &= 0x0f;
 			if (index > WORKLOAD_TYPE_MAX_INDEX)
 				printf("Invalid workload type index\n");
 			else