diff --git a/src/sound/i_sound.cpp b/src/sound/i_sound.cpp
index 97267d62c..852d50a6b 100644
--- a/src/sound/i_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/i_sound.cpp
@@ -304,6 +304,27 @@ void I_ShutdownSound()
 	}
 }
 
+const char *GetSampleTypeName(enum SampleType type)
+{
+    switch(type)
+    {
+        case SampleType_UInt8: return "Unsigned 8-bit";
+        case SampleType_Int16: return "Signed 16-bit";
+    }
+    return "(invalid sample type)";
+}
+
+const char *GetChannelConfigName(enum ChannelConfig chan)
+{
+    switch(chan)
+    {
+        case ChannelConfig_Mono: return "Mono";
+        case ChannelConfig_Stereo: return "Stereo";
+    }
+    return "(invalid channel config)";
+}
+
+
 CCMD (snd_status)
 {
 	GSnd->PrintStatus ();
diff --git a/src/sound/i_soundinternal.h b/src/sound/i_soundinternal.h
index 218c6724b..4f4c62b93 100644
--- a/src/sound/i_soundinternal.h
+++ b/src/sound/i_soundinternal.h
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ enum ChannelConfig
     ChannelConfig_Stereo
 };
 
+const char *GetSampleTypeName(enum SampleType type);
+const char *GetChannelConfigName(enum ChannelConfig chan);
+
 struct SoundDecoder
 {
     virtual void getInfo(int *samplerate, ChannelConfig *chans, SampleType *type) = 0;
diff --git a/src/sound/oalsound.cpp b/src/sound/oalsound.cpp
index 131d41e6f..24ca27aa4 100644
--- a/src/sound/oalsound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/oalsound.cpp
@@ -545,7 +545,8 @@ public:
 
         if(Format == AL_NONE)
         {
-            Printf("Unsupported audio format (0x%x / 0x%x)\n", chans, type);
+            Printf("Unsupported audio format: %s, %s\n", GetChannelConfigName(chans),
+                   GetSampleTypeName(type));
             return false;
         }
         SampleRate = srate;
@@ -1019,7 +1020,8 @@ SoundHandle OpenALSoundRenderer::LoadSound(BYTE *sfxdata, int length)
 
     if(format == AL_NONE)
     {
-        Printf("Unsupported audio format (0x%x / 0x%x)\n", chans, type);
+        Printf("Unsupported audio format: %s, %s\n", GetChannelConfigName(chans),
+               GetSampleTypeName(type));
         return retval;
     }