diff --git a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
index 23bcd90a1..4c1639c3d 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/alsa/alsa-pcm.c
@@ -335,6 +335,25 @@ spa_alsa_enum_format(struct state *state, int seq, uint32_t start, uint32_t num,
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if (j == 0) {
+		char buf[1024];
+		int i, offs;
+
+		for (i = 0, offs = 0; i <= SND_PCM_FORMAT_LAST; i++) {
+			if (snd_pcm_format_mask_test(fmask, (snd_pcm_format_t)i))
+				offs += snprintf(&buf[offs], sizeof(buf) - offs,
+						"%s ", snd_pcm_format_name((snd_pcm_format_t)i));
+		}
+		spa_log_warn(state->log, "unsupported card: formats:%s", buf);
+
+		for (i = 0, offs = 0; i <= SND_PCM_ACCESS_LAST; i++) {
+			if (snd_pcm_access_mask_test(amask, (snd_pcm_access_t)i))
+				offs += snprintf(&buf[offs], sizeof(buf) - offs,
+						"%s ", snd_pcm_access_name((snd_pcm_access_t)i));
+		}
+		spa_log_warn(state->log, "unsupported card: access:%s", buf);
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+	}
 	if (j > 1)
 		choice->body.type = SPA_CHOICE_Enum;
 	spa_pod_builder_pop(&b, &f[1]);