diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d6a728a09a..94daf1948a 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2004-04-01  Thomas Vander Stichele  <thomas at apestaart dot org>
+
+	* sys/oss/gstosselement.c: (gst_osselement_probe_caps):
+          throw an error if we couldn't probe any caps.
+
 2004-04-01  Jan Schmidt  <thaytan@mad.scientist.com>
 
 	* ext/dvdnav/gst-dvd:
diff --git a/sys/oss/gstosselement.c b/sys/oss/gstosselement.c
index 0353982568..0ca2e8e96d 100644
--- a/sys/oss/gstosselement.c
+++ b/sys/oss/gstosselement.c
@@ -1087,6 +1087,11 @@ gst_osselement_probe_caps (GstOssElement * oss)
     }
   }
 
+  if (gst_caps_is_empty (caps)) {
+    GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (oss, RESOURCE, SETTINGS,
+        (_("Your oss device could not be probed correctly")), (NULL));
+    return;
+  }
   GST_DEBUG ("probed caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, caps);
   oss->probed_caps = caps;
 }