diff --git a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
index 0c8f5e0108..52a8d5b2d5 100644
--- a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
+++ b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
@@ -880,7 +880,12 @@ plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
   ladspa_plugin = plugin;
   descriptor_quark = g_quark_from_static_string ("ladspa-descriptor");
 
-  return ladspa_plugin_path_search ();
+  if (!ladspa_plugin_path_search ()) {
+    GST_WARNING ("no ladspa plugins found, check LADSPA_PATH");
+  }
+
+  /* we don't want to fail, even if there are no elements registered */
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 GST_PLUGIN_DEFINE (GST_VERSION_MAJOR,
diff --git a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
index 8572aa225a..dd0a1d650f 100644
--- a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
+++ b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
@@ -891,7 +891,12 @@ plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
   if (!gst_audio_channel_position_get_type ())
     return FALSE;
 
-  return lv2_plugin_discover ();
+  if (!lv2_plugin_discover ()) {
+    GST_WARNING ("no lv2 plugins found, check LV2_PATH");
+  }
+
+  /* we don't want to fail, even if there are no elements registered */
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 #ifdef __GNUC__