diff --git a/ext/hls/gsthlssink.c b/ext/hls/gsthlssink.c
index 7180755689..8a3c305c82 100644
--- a/ext/hls/gsthlssink.c
+++ b/ext/hls/gsthlssink.c
@@ -283,8 +283,14 @@ gst_hls_sink_handle_message (GstBin * bin, GstMessage * message)
           title, duration, sink->index, discont);
       g_free (entry_location);
       playlist_content = gst_m3u8_playlist_render (sink->playlist);
-      g_file_set_contents (sink->playlist_location,
-          playlist_content, -1, &error);
+      if (!g_file_set_contents (sink->playlist_location,
+              playlist_content, -1, &error)) {
+        GST_ERROR ("Failed to write playlist: %s", error->message);
+        GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (sink, RESOURCE, OPEN_WRITE,
+            (("Failed to write playlist '%s'."), error->message), (NULL));
+        g_error_free (error);
+        error = NULL;
+      }
       g_free (playlist_content);
 
       /* multifilesink is starting a new file. It means that upstream sent a key