diff --git a/libs/gst/base/gstbasesink.c b/libs/gst/base/gstbasesink.c
index 9ad65c8053..035895101e 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/gstbasesink.c
+++ b/libs/gst/base/gstbasesink.c
@@ -5238,6 +5238,10 @@ gst_base_sink_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
 start_failed:
   {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (basesink, "failed to start");
+    /* subclass is supposed to post a message but we post one as a fallback
+     * just in case */
+    GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (basesink, CORE, STATE_CHANGE, (NULL),
+        ("Failed to start"));
     return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
   }
 activate_failed:
diff --git a/libs/gst/base/gstbasesrc.c b/libs/gst/base/gstbasesrc.c
index 35b7a2ee5f..934dcca1bb 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/gstbasesrc.c
+++ b/libs/gst/base/gstbasesrc.c
@@ -3348,7 +3348,10 @@ was_started:
 could_not_start:
   {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (basesrc, "could not start");
-    /* subclass is supposed to post a message. We don't have to call _stop. */
+    /* subclass is supposed to post a message but we post one as a fallback
+     * just in case. We don't have to call _stop. */
+    GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (basesrc, CORE, STATE_CHANGE, (NULL),
+        ("Failed to start"));
     gst_base_src_start_complete (basesrc, GST_FLOW_ERROR);
     return FALSE;
   }