diff --git a/src/modules/module-filter-chain.c b/src/modules/module-filter-chain.c
index 8e0931905..d0c2ae006 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-filter-chain.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-filter-chain.c
@@ -1953,8 +1953,11 @@ static int parse_link(struct graph *graph, struct spa_json *json)
 				return -EINVAL;
 			}
 		}
-		else if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
-			break;
+		else {
+			pw_log_error("unexpected link key '%s'", key);
+			if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
+				break;
+		}
 	}
 	def_out_node = spa_list_first(&graph->node_list, struct node, link);
 	def_in_node = spa_list_last(&graph->node_list, struct node, link);
@@ -2064,8 +2067,11 @@ static int parse_volume(struct graph *graph, struct spa_json *json, bool capture
 				return -EINVAL;
 			}
 		}
-		else if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
-			break;
+		else {
+			pw_log_error("unexpected volume key '%s'", key);
+			if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
+				break;
+		}
 	}
 	if (capture)
 		def_control = spa_list_first(&graph->node_list, struct node, link);
@@ -2160,12 +2166,18 @@ static int load_node(struct graph *graph, struct spa_json *json)
 			have_config = true;
 			if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
 				break;
-		} else if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
-			break;
+		} else {
+			pw_log_warn("unexpected node key '%s'", key);
+			if (spa_json_next(json, &val) < 0)
+				break;
+		}
 	}
-
 	if (spa_streq(type, "builtin"))
 		snprintf(plugin, sizeof(plugin), "%s", "builtin");
+	else if (spa_streq(type, "")) {
+		pw_log_error("missing plugin type");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	pw_log_info("loading type:%s plugin:%s label:%s", type, plugin, label);
 
@@ -2754,8 +2766,11 @@ static int load_graph(struct graph *graph, struct pw_properties *props)
 				return -EINVAL;
 			}
 			ppvolumes = &pvolumes;
-		} else if (spa_json_next(&it[1], &val) < 0)
-			break;
+		} else {
+			pw_log_warn("unexpected graph key '%s'", key);
+			if (spa_json_next(&it[1], &val) < 0)
+				break;
+		}
 	}
 	if (pnodes == NULL) {
 		pw_log_error("filter.graph is missing a nodes array");