CCS/MSP-EXP430FR5994: If attempt to step over a MSP430 "CALLA &abs20" function call in CCS 8.3, the debugger seems to free-run rather than stepping over

Tool/software: Code Composer Studio

The TI compiler MSP430 run-time-library contains _lock and _unlock function pointers to be able to insert mutual exclusion. The compiler generates a  "CALLA &abs20" instruction to call these function pointers.

Using CCS 8.3.0.00009 with TI MSP430 tool-chain 9.0.1 found that trying to step over calls to such function pointers seems to cause the debugger to free-run until the next breakpoint, rather than stepping over the function call.

Using the attached example which can run on a MSP-EXP430FR5994:

1. Start a debugging session, and set a breakpoint on the line following the first malloc() call:

2. Step into the malloc() call.

3. Step until get to the _lock() call in malloc:

4. Use Step Over, which is expected to step to the text statement in malloc(). However, the Step Over causes the program to run to next breakpoint which was set in the main function:

Is this a bug, or the expected behaviour?

3058.MSP430FR5994_max_heap_size.zip