diff --git a/backend/headless/backend.c b/backend/headless/backend.c
index f0b9e0ce..822024b3 100644
--- a/backend/headless/backend.c
+++ b/backend/headless/backend.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ static int open_drm_render_node(void) {
 	uint32_t flags = 0;
 	int devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, NULL, 0);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return -1;
 	}
 	drmDevice **devices = calloc(devices_len, sizeof(drmDevice *));
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ static int open_drm_render_node(void) {
 	devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, devices, devices_len);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
 		free(devices);
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/wayland/backend.c b/backend/wayland/backend.c
index 18317e57..1606f0a5 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/backend.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/backend.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static char *get_render_name(const char *name) {
 	uint32_t flags = 0;
 	int devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, NULL, 0);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	drmDevice **devices = calloc(devices_len, sizeof(drmDevice *));
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static char *get_render_name(const char *name) {
 	devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, devices, devices_len);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
 		free(devices);
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/render/egl.c b/render/egl.c
index 94f288f6..e2551268 100644
--- a/render/egl.c
+++ b/render/egl.c
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ static char *get_render_name(const char *name) {
 	uint32_t flags = 0;
 	int devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, NULL, 0);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	drmDevice **devices = calloc(devices_len, sizeof(drmDevice *));
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ static char *get_render_name(const char *name) {
 	devices_len = drmGetDevices2(flags, devices, devices_len);
 	if (devices_len < 0) {
 		free(devices);
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed");
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "drmGetDevices2 failed: %s", strerror(-devices_len));
 		return NULL;
 	}