diff --git a/src/barebox-state/state.c b/src/barebox-state/state.c
index 7ac4b53..d557733 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/state.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state/state.c
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@
 
 	vtype = state_find_type_by_name(type_name);
 	if (!vtype) {
+		dev_dbg(&state->dev, "Error: invalid variable type '%s'\n", type_name);
 		ret = -ENOENT;
 		goto out_free;
 	}