diff --git a/src/modules/module-rtp-sink.c b/src/modules/module-rtp-sink.c
index 298a18545..62f5b7a0d 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-rtp-sink.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-rtp-sink.c
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ static void stream_state_changed(void *data, bool started, const char *error)
 					impl->mcast_loop, impl->ttl, impl->dscp,
 					impl->ifname)) < 0) {
 			pw_log_error("can't make socket: %s", spa_strerror(res));
+			rtp_stream_set_error(impl->stream, res, "Can't make socket");
 			return;
 		}
 		impl->rtp_fd = res;
diff --git a/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c b/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
index 936b6b487..22312734e 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ static int stream_start(struct impl *impl)
 	if ((fd = make_socket((const struct sockaddr *)&impl->src_addr,
 					impl->src_len, impl->ifname)) < 0) {
 		pw_log_error("failed to create socket: %m");
-		return fd;
+		return -errno;
 	}
 
 	impl->source = pw_loop_add_io(impl->data_loop, fd,
@@ -338,13 +338,16 @@ static void stream_destroy(void *d)
 static void stream_state_changed(void *data, bool started, const char *error)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = data;
+	int res;
 
 	if (error) {
 		pw_log_error("stream error: %s", error);
 		pw_impl_module_schedule_destroy(impl->module);
 	} else if (started) {
-		if ((errno = -stream_start(impl)) < 0)
-			pw_log_error("failed to start RTP stream: %m");
+		if ((res = stream_start(impl)) < 0) {
+			pw_log_error("failed to start RTP stream: %s", spa_strerror(res));
+			rtp_stream_set_error(impl->stream, res, "Can't start RTP stream");
+		}
 	} else {
 		if (!impl->always_process)
 			stream_stop(impl);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.c b/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.c
index e0aa64498..c42bae786 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.c
@@ -642,6 +642,12 @@ void rtp_stream_set_first(struct rtp_stream *s)
 	impl->first = true;
 }
 
+void rtp_stream_set_error(struct rtp_stream *s, int res, const char *error)
+{
+	struct impl *impl = (struct impl*)s;
+	pw_stream_set_error(impl->stream, res, "%s: %s", error, spa_strerror(res));
+}
+
 enum pw_stream_state rtp_stream_get_state(struct rtp_stream *s, const char **error)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = (struct impl*)s;
diff --git a/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.h b/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.h
index e81422392..28854fb3c 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-rtp/stream.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ uint16_t rtp_stream_get_seq(struct rtp_stream *s);
 
 void rtp_stream_set_first(struct rtp_stream *s);
 
+void rtp_stream_set_error(struct rtp_stream *s, int res, const char *error);
 enum pw_stream_state rtp_stream_get_state(struct rtp_stream *s, const char **error);
 
 int rtp_stream_set_param(struct rtp_stream *s, uint32_t id, const struct spa_pod *param);