diff --git a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.h b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.h
index 12b49169d4..95a672fd43 100644
--- a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.h
+++ b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.h
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ void               gst_validate_print_action  (GstValidateAction *action, const
 GST_VALIDATE_API
 void               gst_validate_printf_valist (gpointer source,
                                                const gchar      * format,
-                                               va_list            args) G_GNUC_NO_INSTRUMENT;
+                                               va_list            args) G_GNUC_PRINTF (2, 0) G_GNUC_NO_INSTRUMENT;
 GST_VALIDATE_API
 gboolean gst_validate_report_should_print (GstValidateReport * report);
 GST_VALIDATE_API
diff --git a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-reporter.h b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-reporter.h
index 005f2a8a9a..f82805065b 100644
--- a/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-reporter.h
+++ b/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-reporter.h
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void gst_validate_report                       (GstValidateReporter * reporter,
                                           const gchar * format, ...) G_GNUC_PRINTF (3, 4) G_GNUC_NO_INSTRUMENT;
 GST_VALIDATE_API
 void gst_validate_report_valist                (GstValidateReporter * reporter, GstValidateIssueId issue_id,
-                                          const gchar * format, va_list var_args);
+                                          const gchar * format, va_list var_args) G_GNUC_PRINTF (3, 0);
 GST_VALIDATE_API void
 gst_validate_reporter_report_simple (GstValidateReporter * reporter, GstValidateIssueId issue_id,
                                           const gchar * message);
diff --git a/validate/plugins/flow/gstvalidateflow.c b/validate/plugins/flow/gstvalidateflow.c
index d698b5091b..ad6f859865 100644
--- a/validate/plugins/flow/gstvalidateflow.c
+++ b/validate/plugins/flow/gstvalidateflow.c
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ validate_flow_override_class_init (ValidateFlowOverrideClass * klass)
           GST_VALIDATE_REPORT_LEVEL_CRITICAL));
 }
 
+/* *INDENT-OFF* */
+G_GNUC_PRINTF (2, 0)
+/* *INDENT-ON* */
+
 static void
 validate_flow_override_vprintf (ValidateFlowOverride * flow, const char *format,
     va_list ap)
@@ -130,6 +134,10 @@ validate_flow_override_vprintf (ValidateFlowOverride * flow, const char *format,
   g_mutex_unlock (&flow->output_file_mutex);
 }
 
+/* *INDENT-OFF* */
+G_GNUC_PRINTF (2, 3)
+/* *INDENT-ON* */
+
 static void
 validate_flow_override_printf (ValidateFlowOverride * flow, const char *format,
     ...)