diff --git a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
index 92f8a8c..86b6b34 100644
--- a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
+++ b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream.go
@@ -17,6 +17,21 @@ import (
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/noise"
 )
 
+func deviceName(name string) string {
+	if name == "" {
+		return "default"
+	}
+	return name
+}
+
+func openInputDeviceError(name string, format openal.Format) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: could not open capture device %q (format=%v, rate=%d)", ErrInputDevice, deviceName(name), format, gumble.AudioSampleRate)
+}
+
+func openOutputDeviceError(name string) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: could not open playback device %q", ErrOutputDevice, deviceName(name))
+}
+
 // NoiseProcessor interface for noise suppression
 type NoiseProcessor interface {
 	ProcessSamples(samples []int16)
@@ -109,11 +124,11 @@ func New(client *gumble.Client, inputDevice *string, outputDevice *string, test
 	}
 	if idev == nil {
 		log.Error("OpenAL capture: failed to open device %q", devName)
-		return nil, ErrInputDevice
+		return nil, openInputDeviceError(devName, inputFormat)
 	}
 	if err := idev.Err(); err != nil {
 		idev.CaptureCloseDevice()
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrInputDevice, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: capture device %q: %v", ErrInputDevice, deviceName(devName), err)
 	}
 	log.Info("OpenAL capture: opened device %q format=%v channels=%d", devName, inputFormat, sourceChannels)
 
@@ -124,12 +139,12 @@ func New(client *gumble.Client, inputDevice *string, outputDevice *string, test
 	odev := openal.OpenDevice(outName)
 	if odev == nil {
 		idev.CaptureCloseDevice()
-		return nil, ErrOutputDevice
+		return nil, openOutputDeviceError(outName)
 	}
 	if err := odev.Err(); err != nil {
 		idev.CaptureCloseDevice()
 		odev.CloseDevice()
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrOutputDevice, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: playback device %q: %v", ErrOutputDevice, deviceName(outName), err)
 	}
 
 	if test {
diff --git a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream_regression_test.go b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream_regression_test.go
index 4fc4660..996f930 100644
--- a/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream_regression_test.go
+++ b/gumble/gumbleopenal/stream_regression_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,30 @@
 package gumbleopenal
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/go-openal/openal"
+)
 
 // Regression: audio cleanup could send a final render command after Destroy
 // had closed renderCh, panicking instead of safely discarding that work.
 // Regression: StopSource returned before the capture worker ended, allowing
 // Destroy to close the device while that worker still used it.
+// Regression: OpenAL returned only a generic input/output error, hiding the
+// actual configured device that a user must correct.
+func TestDeviceOpenErrorsIncludeConfiguredDevice(t *testing.T) {
+	input := openInputDeviceError("virtual_mic.monitor", openal.FormatMono16)
+	if !errors.Is(input, ErrInputDevice) || !strings.Contains(input.Error(), "virtual_mic.monitor") {
+		t.Fatalf("input error %q", input)
+	}
+	output := openOutputDeviceError("")
+	if !errors.Is(output, ErrOutputDevice) || !strings.Contains(output.Error(), "default") {
+		t.Fatalf("output error %q", output)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStopSourceWaitsForWorker(t *testing.T) {
 	stop, done := make(chan bool), make(chan struct{})
 	s := &Stream{sourceStop: stop, sourceDone: done}