diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 4eb76ca833..40fcf3b6b5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2006-08-16  Wim Taymans  <wim@fluendo.com>
+
+	* ext/alsa/gstalsasink.c: (gst_alsasink_set_property),
+	(gst_alsasink_open):
+	* ext/alsa/gstalsasrc.c: (gst_alsasrc_set_property),
+	(gst_alsasrc_open):
+	Avoid setting and using a NULL device name.
+	Print more info when we fail to open a device.
+
 2006-08-16  Tim-Philipp Müller  <tim at centricular dot net>
 
 	* docs/libs/gst-plugins-base-libs-sections.txt:
diff --git a/ext/alsa/gstalsasink.c b/ext/alsa/gstalsasink.c
index 216c185d03..6d6d629917 100644
--- a/ext/alsa/gstalsasink.c
+++ b/ext/alsa/gstalsasink.c
@@ -227,9 +227,12 @@ gst_alsasink_set_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
 
   switch (prop_id) {
     case PROP_DEVICE:
-      if (sink->device)
-        g_free (sink->device);
-      sink->device = g_strdup (g_value_get_string (value));
+      g_free (sink->device);
+      sink->device = g_value_dup_string (value);
+      /* setting NULL restores the default device */
+      if (sink->device == NULL) {
+        sink->device = g_strdup (DEFAULT_DEVICE);
+      }
       break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
@@ -629,10 +632,12 @@ gst_alsasink_open (GstAudioSink * asink)
 open_error:
   {
     if (err == -EBUSY) {
-      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, BUSY, (NULL), ("Device is busy"));
+      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, BUSY, (NULL), ("Device '%s' is busy",
+              alsa->device));
     } else {
       GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, OPEN_WRITE,
-          (NULL), ("Playback open error: %s", snd_strerror (err)));
+          (NULL), ("Playback open error on device '%s': %s", alsa->device,
+              snd_strerror (err)));
     }
     return FALSE;
   }
diff --git a/ext/alsa/gstalsasrc.c b/ext/alsa/gstalsasrc.c
index 93ce1500ab..d2b37cb24a 100644
--- a/ext/alsa/gstalsasrc.c
+++ b/ext/alsa/gstalsasrc.c
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ gst_alsasrc_set_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
     case PROP_DEVICE:
       g_free (src->device);
       src->device = g_value_dup_string (value);
+      if (src->device == NULL) {
+        src->device = g_strdup (DEFAULT_PROP_DEVICE);
+      }
       break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
@@ -601,10 +604,12 @@ gst_alsasrc_open (GstAudioSrc * asrc)
 open_error:
   {
     if (err == -EBUSY) {
-      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, BUSY, (NULL), (NULL));
+      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, BUSY, (NULL), ("Device '%s' is busy",
+              alsa->device));
     } else {
-      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, OPEN_READ,
-          (NULL), ("Recording open error: %s", snd_strerror (err)));
+      GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (alsa, RESOURCE, OPEN_WRITE,
+          (NULL), ("Recording open error on device '%s': %s", alsa->device,
+              snd_strerror (err)));
     }
     return FALSE;
   }