Apple - Catalina crashing at shutdown: "watchdog timeout: no checkins from watchdogd"

You can temporarily make things better by looking for this line:

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC(3.1.9)[EB9D605D-85B1-3506-8B2E-ABD195817A4F]@0xffffff7fa6c9e000->0xffffff7fa6cbcfff

My theory is SMC is sometimes slow or stuck. Here's the temporary workaround:

  1. Start shutdown procedure normally, it will take about 3 minutes until it crashes and reboots
  2. After it reboots, don't log in - press the shutdown button (on the bottom of screen) instead. This time, it will shutdown normally.
  3. Do the SMC reset procedure described here by Apple

So far, I've tested this (and it worked) on my 2019 MacBook Pro and my friend's 2015 MacBook Pro. It doesn’t cure the gap, but the reset brings stability for a while. If this is intermittent, consider it a warning your hardware is aging and needs a repair / Apple detailed diagnostics and not just the built in hardware test that ships with each Mac.


I also had this kernel panic on two identical devices running 10.15.5 and it drove me mad.

So I just did a couple of hours of trial and error and kextload und kextunload, plugging and unplugging and about three dozen reboots and I got this thing reproducable. Kicker is this: At least in my case it is only triggered when

a) an external display is connected via USBc->HDMI

b) the MBP is in clamshell mode

None of the kexts had any influence surprisingly. It will not panic in any other combination (i.e. an external display is connected but the lid is not shut).

It looks to me like the unload of >usb.!UHostPacketFilter triggers the crash because it is the only display but it must not be running when no display is connected and the lid is closed.

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff7fa1c04b81): "[IGPU] sendHostToGucMessage: Firmware communication error: no action response!\n"@icl/sched3/IGGuC.cpp:3599
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa3f0b8b350 : 0xffffff801d9215cd 
0xffffffa3f0b8b3a0 : 0xffffff801da5a405 
0xffffffa3f0b8b3e0 : 0xffffff801da4bf8e 
0xffffffa3f0b8b430 : 0xffffff801d8c7a40 
0xffffffa3f0b8b450 : 0xffffff801d920c97 
0xffffffa3f0b8b550 : 0xffffff801d921087 
0xffffffa3f0b8b5a0 : 0xffffff801e0c2d8c 
0xffffffa3f0b8b610 : 0xffffff7fa1c04b81 
0xffffffa3f0b8b650 : 0xffffff7fa1b8e521 
0xffffffa3f0b8b680 : 0xffffff7fa1b8c7b9 
0xffffffa3f0b8b6b0 : 0xffffff7fa1b8ec14 
0xffffffa3f0b8b710 : 0xffffff7fa1b8f793 
0xffffffa3f0b8b750 : 0xffffff7fa1c04b1c 
0xffffffa3f0b8b790 : 0xffffff7fa1b8e521 
0xffffffa3f0b8b7c0 : 0xffffff7fa1b8c826 
0xffffffa3f0b8b7f0 : 0xffffff7fa1b8eba4 
0xffffffa3f0b8b850 : 0xffffff7fa1b99d20 
0xffffffa3f0b8b870 : 0xffffff7fa157f88c 
0xffffffa3f0b8b8b0 : 0xffffff7fa15c56fd 
0xffffffa3f0b8b8f0 : 0xffffff7fa1516d68 
0xffffffa3f0b8ba30 : 0xffffff7fa1501e16 
0xffffffa3f0b8bac0 : 0xffffff7fa150940f 
0xffffffa3f0b8bb60 : 0xffffff801e0021df 
0xffffffa3f0b8bbd0 : 0xffffff801e09630f 
0xffffffa3f0b8bc30 : 0xffffff801e0029c9 
0xffffffa3f0b8bc80 : 0xffffff801e0958c9 
0xffffffa3f0b8bd40 : 0xffffff801de82866 
0xffffffa3f0b8be00 : 0xffffff801de9cf19 
0xffffffa3f0b8bf40 : 0xffffff801df87707 
0xffffffa3f0b8bfa0 : 0xffffff801d8c8206 
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(575.1)[2EDEB7A5-F163-3BBA-B3EE-E508E6A1A920]@0xffffff7fa14f8000->0xffffff7fa1548fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6F96761B-C218-30A8-BECC-1EAD32E53D47]@0xffffff7f9e311000
         com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(438.4.5)[108DA6E8-6995-3986-9CA9-B73150768244]@0xffffff7fa157e000->0xffffff7fa1641fff
            dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity(1.0.5)[64DD6A97-6E35-3BF4-AA75-46EFC42F574B]@0xffffff7f9ea2e000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6F96761B-C218-30A8-BECC-1EAD32E53D47]@0xffffff7f9e311000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(269.11)[EE3C1ABC-E424-3EBE-B1D6-913048CE7EA1]@0xffffff7f9fe78000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(575.1)[2EDEB7A5-F163-3BBA-B3EE-E508E6A1A920]@0xffffff7fa14f8000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily(47)[28F06131-E9AB-3980-9175-6B4EAB4326EE]@0xffffff7f9e249000
         com.apple.driver.AppleIntelICLGraphics(14.0.5)[A2D58B1A-D6F2-3A51-B159-9AED33F36FC1]@0xffffff7fa1b76000->0xffffff7fa1cb3fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6F96761B-C218-30A8-BECC-1EAD32E53D47]@0xffffff7f9e311000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(269.11)[EE3C1ABC-E424-3EBE-B1D6-913048CE7EA1]@0xffffff7f9fe78000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(575.1)[2EDEB7A5-F163-3BBA-B3EE-E508E6A1A920]@0xffffff7fa14f8000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(438.4.5)[108DA6E8-6995-3986-9CA9-B73150768244]@0xffffff7fa157e000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: launchd
Boot args: chunklist-security-epoch=0 -chunklist-no-rev2-dev

Mac OS version:
19E2269

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 19.4.0: Wed Mar  4 22:47:48 PST 2020; root:xnu-6153.101.6~16/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 7559A1A8-B300-3BC5-900F-5ED91F3197C7
Kernel slide:     0x000000001d600000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff801d800000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff801d700000
System model name: MacBookPro16,2 (Mac-5F9802EFE386AA28)
System shutdown begun: YES

System uptime in nanoseconds: 21814331773601
last loaded kext at 115722074408: @filesystems.smbfs    3.4.2 (addr 0xffffff7fa1d79000, size 450560)
last unloaded kext at 196519170346: >usb.!UHostPacketFilter 1.0 (addr 0xffffff7fa01e4000, size 24576)
loaded kexts:
jp.co.yamaha.driver.YamahaSteinbergUSBAudio 2.0.3
net.sf.tuntaposx.tap    1.0
net.sf.tuntaposx.tun    1.0
@filesystems.smbfs  3.4.2
>!A!BMultitouch 97
>!AGraphicsDevicePolicy 5.1.16
@AGDCPluginDisplayMetrics   5.1.16
@fileutil   20.036.15
>!AHV   1
|IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
|IO!BSerialManager  7.0.4f6
>!AUpstreamUserClient   3.6.8
>!APlatformEnabler  2.7.0d0
>AGPM   111.4.4
>X86PlatformShim    1.0.0
>pmtelemetry    1
>!A!IICLGraphics    14.0.5
@Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X    7.0.0
>AudioAUUC  1.70
>BridgeAudioCommunication   6.70.3
>!ABacklight    180.3
>!AThunderboltIP    3.1.4
>!ABridgeAudio!C    6.70.3
>!AGFXHDA   100.1.426
>!ATopCaseHIDEventDriver    3430.1
>!AHIDALSService    1
>!A!IICLLPGraphicsFramebuffer   14.0.5
>!A!ISlowAdaptiveClocking   4.0.0
>!AAVEBridge    6.1
>!A!IPCHPMC 2.0.1
>!AMCCSControl  1.11
@filesystems.autofs 3.0
@filesystems.apfs   1412.101.1
>BCMWLANFirmware4355.Hashstore  1
>BCMWLANFirmware4364.Hashstore  1
>BCMWLANFirmware4377.Hashstore  1
>!ABCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe  1
@filesystems.hfs.kext   522.100.5
@BootCache  40
@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeDataless    1.0.0d1
@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeZlib    1.0.0
>!AVirtIO   1.0
@private.KextAudit  1.0
>!ASmartBatteryManager  161.0.0
>!AACPIButtons  6.1
>!ASMBIOS   2.1
>!AACPIEC   6.1
>!AAPIC 1.7
$!AImage4   1
@nke.applicationfirewall    303
$TMSafetyNet    8
@!ASystemPolicy 2.0.0
|EndpointSecurity   1
>!A!BHIDKeyboard    209
>!AGraphicsControl  5.1.16
|IOAVB!F    840.3
>!ASSE  1.0
@!AGPUWrangler  5.1.16
>!ABacklightExpert  1.1.0
>!AHIDKeyboard  209
>!AActuatorDriver   3440.1
|IO!BHost!CUARTTransport    7.0.4f6
|IO!BHost!CTransport    7.0.4f6
>!A!ILpssUARTv1 3.0.60
>!A!ILpssUARTCommon 3.0.60
>!AOnboardSerial    1.0
>!UAudio    322.2
>X86PlatformPlugin  1.0.0
@plugin.IOgPTPPlugin    840.3
|IOEthernetAVB!C    1.1.0
|IONDRVSupport  575.1
>!AHS!BDriver   3430.1
>IO!BHIDDriver  7.0.4f6
>!AMultitouchDriver 3440.1
>!AInputDeviceSupport   3440.8
@!AGraphicsDeviceControl    5.1.16
|IOAccelerator!F2   438.4.5
|IOSlowAdaptiveClocking!F   1.0.0
>IOPlatformPlugin!F 6.0.0d8
>!ASMBus!C  1.0.18d1
|IOGraphics!F   575.1
@kext.triggers  1.0
>usb.cdc.ncm    5.0.0
>usb.!UHub  1.2
>usb.cdc    5.0.0
>usb.networking 5.0.0
>usb.!UHostCompositeDevice  1.2
>usb.!UVHCIBCE  1.2
>usb.!UVHCI 1.2
>usb.!UVHCICommonBCE    1.0
>usb.!UVHCICommon   1.0
>!AEffaceableNOR    1.0
|IOBufferCopy!C 1.1.0
|IOBufferCopyEngine!F   1
|IONVMe!F   2.1.0
>!ABCMWLANCore  1.0.0
>mDNSOffloadUserClient  1.0.1b8
>IOImageLoader  1.0.0
|IO80211!FV2    1200.12.2b1
>corecapture    1.0.4
|IOSkywalk!F    1
>!AThunderboltPCIDownAdapter    2.5.4
>!AThunderboltDPInAdapter   6.2.6
>!AThunderboltDPAdapter!F   6.2.6
>!AHPM  3.4.4
>!A!ILpssI2C!C  3.0.60
>!A!ILpssDmac   3.0.60
>!A!ILpssI2C    3.0.60
>!AThunderboltNHI   5.8.6
|IOThunderbolt!F    7.6.0
>usb.!UXHCIPCI  1.2
>usb.!UXHCI 1.2
|IOSurface  269.11
@filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext 1
|IOAudio!F  300.2
@vecLib.kext    1.2.0
|IOSerial!F 11
|IOUSB!F    900.4.2
>!AEFINVRAM 2.1
>!AEFIRuntime   2.1
>!ASMCRTC   1.0
|IOSMBus!F  1.1
|IOHID!F    2.0.0
$quarantine 4
$sandbox    300.0
@kext.!AMatch   1.0.0d1
>!AKeyStore 2
>!UTDM  489.101.1
|IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice  422.101.1
>!ACredentialManager    1.0
>KernelRelayHost    1
>!ASEPManager   1.0.1
>IOSlaveProcessor   1
>!AFDEKeyStore  28.30
>!AEffaceable!S 1.0
>!AMobileFileIntegrity  1.0.5
@kext.CoreTrust 1
|CoreAnalytics!F    1
|IOTimeSync!F   840.3
|IONetworking!F 3.4
>DiskImages 493.0.0
|IO!B!F 7.0.4f6
|IO!BPacketLogger   7.0.4f6
|IOUSBMass!SDriver  157.101.3
|IOSCSIArchitectureModel!F  422.101.1
|IO!S!F 2.1
|IOUSBHost!F    1.2
>usb.!UCommon   1.0
>!UHostMergeProperties  1.2
>!ABusPower!C   1.0
|IOReport!F 47
>!AACPIPlatform 6.1
>!ASMC  3.1.9
>watchdog   1
|IOPCI!F    2.9
|IOACPI!F   1.4
@kec.pthread    1
@kec.corecrypto 1.0
@kec.Libm   1


My computer was also failing to shut down or reboot properly from being logged in with essentially the same crash message. The issue started happening after updating to 10.15.1. After resetting the SMC and also NVRAM the issue seems to have gone away.