System authentication cannot be enabled on `bcachefs`-based Linux systems

[glektarssza]

Steps To Reproduce

1. Set up a Linux system
2. Ensure that the /usr/share/polkit-1 path lives on a bcachefs-based file system (as part of the root partition, /usr partition, whatever).
3. Install BitWarden Desktop.
4. Attempt to enable system-based authentication.
5. Observe it will not enable.
6. See the following logs in the output:

15:39:16.132 › [SearchService]: index complete took 88.39999999990687 [ [ 'Items', 793 ] ]
15:39:22.185 › [Main Biometrics IPC Listener] setup failed Failed to set up polkit policy
15:39:22.286 › [SearchService]: isSearchable took 16.300000000279397 null

Poster's Note: Everything after here is with a humorous tone but may still be useful.

7. Be very confused.
8. Spend an hour trying to figure out what's gone wrong.
9. Trace the issue down to the following command:

chcon system_u:object_r:usr_t:s0 /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/com.bitwarden.Bitwarden.policy
# chcon: failed to change context of '/usr/share/polkit-1/actions/com.bitwarden.Bitwarden.policy' to ‘system_u:object_r:usr_t:s0’: Operation not supported

10. Spend another 15 minutes trying to figure out WHY chcon is failing.
11. Realize bcachefs doesn't support SELinux fully 💢💢💢
12. Regret the choices that led to using bcachefs.

Expected Result

System authentication should work fine on bcachefs-based file systems.

Actual Result

System authentication does not work fine on bcachefs-based file systems due to chcon just not working.

Screenshots or Videos

No response

Additional Context

If there is some way to work around this or use a different command within BitWarden that would let it work on bcachefs-based file systems, that would be amazing. Obviously, bcachefs is still experimental so I'm not expecting miracles here. Understandable that I picked an experimental file system so this may well be a consequence I have to live with.

Operating System

Linux

Operating System Version

Arch Linux

Installation method

Other

Build Version

2025.8.1

Issue Tracking Info

• I understand that work is tracked outside of GitHub. A PR will be linked to this issue should one be opened to address it, but Bitwarden doesn't use fields like "assigned", "milestone", or "project" to track progress.

[bitwarden-bot]

Thank you for reporting this issue! We've added this to our internal tracking system.
ID: PM-26386

[cylayabw]

Hi there,

This has been escalated for further investigation. If you have more information that can help us, please add it below.

Thanks!

[glektarssza]

I think the above report is pretty descriptive of the issue but if you have specific details you'd like please feel free to request them! I'm happy to provide whatever you need (within reason) and work with your team on figuring out a possible fix, including testing possible changes on my system for you.

Cheers!