diff --git a/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h b/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
index fae91cc92..9d4273adb 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
@@ -181,14 +181,20 @@ struct spa_fraction {
 
 #define spa_return_if_fail(expr)					\
 	do {								\
-		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr)))				\
+		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr))) {				\
+			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
+				#expr , __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);	\
 			return;						\
+		}							\
 	} while(false)
 
 #define spa_return_val_if_fail(expr, val)				\
 	do {								\
-		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr)))				\
+		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr))) {				\
+			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
+				#expr , __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);	\
 			return (val);					\
+		}							\
 	} while(false)
 
 /* spa_assert_se() is an assert which guarantees side effects of x,
@@ -196,7 +202,7 @@ struct spa_fraction {
 #define spa_assert_se(expr)						\
 	do {								\
 		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr)))				\
-			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()",	\
+			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
 				#expr , __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);	\
 			abort();					\
 	} while (false)
@@ -204,7 +210,7 @@ struct spa_fraction {
 #define spa_assert(expr)						\
 	do {								\
 		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr))) {				\
-			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()",	\
+			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
 				#expr , __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);	\
 			abort();					\
 		}							\
@@ -212,7 +218,7 @@ struct spa_fraction {
 
 #define spa_assert_not_reached()						\
 	do {									\
-		fprintf(stderr, "Code should not be reached at %s:%u %s()",	\
+		fprintf(stderr, "Code should not be reached at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
 				__FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);			\
 		abort();							\
 	} while (false)