diff --git a/ui/egl-helpers.c b/ui/egl-helpers.c
index 3a88245b6780..b11837415bce 100644
--- a/ui/egl-helpers.c
+++ b/ui/egl-helpers.c
@@ -26,6 +26,48 @@ DisplayGLMode qemu_egl_mode;
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_X11) || defined(CONFIG_GBM)
+static const char *egl_get_error_string(void)
+{
+    EGLint error = eglGetError();
+
+    switch (error) {
+    case EGL_SUCCESS:
+        return "EGL_SUCCESS";
+    case EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED:
+        return "EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED";
+    case EGL_BAD_ACCESS:
+        return "EGL_BAD_ACCESS";
+    case EGL_BAD_ALLOC:
+        return "EGL_BAD_ALLOC";
+    case EGL_BAD_ATTRIBUTE:
+        return "EGL_BAD_ATTRIBUTE";
+    case EGL_BAD_CONTEXT:
+        return "EGL_BAD_CONTEXT";
+    case EGL_BAD_CONFIG:
+        return "EGL_BAD_CONFIG";
+    case EGL_BAD_CURRENT_SURFACE:
+        return "EGL_BAD_CURRENT_SURFACE";
+    case EGL_BAD_DISPLAY:
+        return "EGL_BAD_DISPLAY";
+    case EGL_BAD_SURFACE:
+        return "EGL_BAD_SURFACE";
+    case EGL_BAD_MATCH:
+        return "EGL_BAD_MATCH";
+    case EGL_BAD_PARAMETER:
+        return "EGL_BAD_PARAMETER";
+    case EGL_BAD_NATIVE_PIXMAP:
+        return "EGL_BAD_NATIVE_PIXMAP";
+    case EGL_BAD_NATIVE_WINDOW:
+        return "EGL_BAD_NATIVE_WINDOW";
+    case EGL_CONTEXT_LOST:
+        return "EGL_CONTEXT_LOST";
+    default:
+        return "Unknown EGL error";
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
 static void egl_fb_delete_texture(egl_fb *fb)
 {
     if (!fb->delete_texture) {
@@ -438,20 +480,20 @@ static int qemu_egl_init_dpy(EGLNativeDisplayType dpy,
 
     qemu_egl_display = qemu_egl_get_display(dpy, platform);
     if (qemu_egl_display == EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
-        error_report("egl: eglGetDisplay failed");
+        error_report("egl: eglGetDisplay failed: %s", egl_get_error_string());
         return -1;
     }
 
     b = eglInitialize(qemu_egl_display, &major, &minor);
     if (b == EGL_FALSE) {
-        error_report("egl: eglInitialize failed");
+        error_report("egl: eglInitialize failed: %s", egl_get_error_string());
         return -1;
     }
 
     b = eglBindAPI(gles ?  EGL_OPENGL_ES_API : EGL_OPENGL_API);
     if (b == EGL_FALSE) {
-        error_report("egl: eglBindAPI failed (%s mode)",
-                     gles ? "gles" : "core");
+        error_report("egl: eglBindAPI failed (%s mode): %s",
+                     gles ? "gles" : "core", egl_get_error_string());
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -459,8 +501,8 @@ static int qemu_egl_init_dpy(EGLNativeDisplayType dpy,
                         gles ? conf_att_gles : conf_att_core,
                         &qemu_egl_config, 1, &n);
     if (b == EGL_FALSE || n != 1) {
-        error_report("egl: eglChooseConfig failed (%s mode)",
-                     gles ? "gles" : "core");
+        error_report("egl: eglChooseConfig failed (%s mode): %s",
+                     gles ? "gles" : "core", egl_get_error_string());
         return -1;
     }