diff --git a/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h b/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
index 440f7f7fd..d5b7928da 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/utils/defs.h
@@ -386,6 +386,16 @@ struct spa_error_location {
 		}							\
 	} while(false)
 
+#define spa_goto_if_fail(expr, label)					\
+	do {								\
+		if (SPA_UNLIKELY(!(expr))) {				\
+			fprintf(stderr, "'%s' failed at %s:%u %s()\n",	\
+				#expr , __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);	\
+			goto label;					\
+		}							\
+	} while(false)
+
+
 /* spa_assert_se() is an assert which guarantees side effects of x,
  * i.e. is never optimized away, regardless of NDEBUG or FASTPATH. */
 #ifndef __COVERITY__
diff --git a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
index 5e35f6dcd..11c3fa222 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
@@ -605,15 +605,19 @@ static void loop_enter(void *object)
 
 	spa_assert_se(pthread_mutex_lock(&impl->lock) == 0);
 	if (impl->enter_count == 0) {
-		spa_return_if_fail(impl->thread == 0);
+		spa_goto_if_fail(impl->thread == 0, unlock_error);
 		impl->thread = thread_id;
 		impl->enter_count = 1;
 	} else {
-		spa_return_if_fail(impl->enter_count > 0);
-		spa_return_if_fail(pthread_equal(impl->thread, thread_id));
+		spa_goto_if_fail(impl->enter_count > 0, unlock_error);
+		spa_goto_if_fail(pthread_equal(impl->thread, thread_id), unlock_error);
 		impl->enter_count++;
 	}
 	spa_log_trace_fp(impl->log, "%p: enter %p", impl, (void *) impl->thread);
+	return;
+
+unlock_error:
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->lock);
 }
 
 static void loop_leave(void *object)