diff --git a/src/tools/pw-cat.c b/src/tools/pw-cat.c
index bb70c321d..0215555a9 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-cat.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-cat.c
@@ -1631,6 +1631,11 @@ static int setup_sndfile(struct data *data)
 	if (!data->file) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "sndfile: failed to open audio file \"%s\": %s\n",
 				data->filename, sf_strerror(NULL));
+		if (data->verbose) {
+			char loginfo[4096];
+			if (sf_command(NULL, SFC_GET_LOG_INFO, &loginfo, sizeof(loginfo)) > 0)
+				fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", loginfo);
+		}
 		return -EIO;
 	}