diff --git a/src/pulse/channelmap.c b/src/pulse/channelmap.c
index 373087515..db6577ed4 100644
--- a/src/pulse/channelmap.c
+++ b/src/pulse/channelmap.c
@@ -466,6 +466,13 @@ char* pa_channel_map_snprint(char *s, size_t l, const pa_channel_map *map) {
     pa_assert(l > 0);
     pa_assert(map);
 
+    pa_init_i18n();
+
+    if (!pa_channel_map_valid(map)) {
+        pa_snprintf(s, l, _("(invalid)"));
+        return s;
+    }
+
     *(e = s) = 0;
 
     for (channel = 0; channel < map->channels && l > 1; channel++) {
diff --git a/src/pulse/sample.c b/src/pulse/sample.c
index 93da2465f..39891d255 100644
--- a/src/pulse/sample.c
+++ b/src/pulse/sample.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ char *pa_sample_spec_snprint(char *s, size_t l, const pa_sample_spec *spec) {
     pa_init_i18n();
 
     if (!pa_sample_spec_valid(spec))
-        pa_snprintf(s, l, _("Invalid"));
+        pa_snprintf(s, l, _("(invalid)"));
     else
         pa_snprintf(s, l, "%s %uch %uHz", pa_sample_format_to_string(spec->format), spec->channels, spec->rate);
 
diff --git a/src/pulse/volume.c b/src/pulse/volume.c
index 6907dc83e..60a86bebc 100644
--- a/src/pulse/volume.c
+++ b/src/pulse/volume.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+#include <pulse/i18n.h>
 #include <pulsecore/core-util.h>
 #include <pulsecore/macro.h>
 
@@ -134,6 +135,13 @@ char *pa_cvolume_snprint(char *s, size_t l, const pa_cvolume *c) {
     pa_assert(l > 0);
     pa_assert(c);
 
+    pa_init_i18n();
+
+    if (!pa_cvolume_valid(c)) {
+        pa_snprintf(s, l, _("(invalid)"));
+        return s;
+    }
+
     *(e = s) = 0;
 
     for (channel = 0; channel < c->channels && l > 1; channel++) {