diff --git a/src/cpp/ALSA_support.cpp b/src/cpp/ALSA_support.cpp
index 17bb1570cb6638049117cdae9de1a60cb7ba86e9..ecd34dd0bb2dd481e2d6569ad19d84527a91383e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ALSA_support.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ALSA_support.cpp
@@ -216,7 +216,8 @@ int DSP::ALSA_object_t::open_alsa_device(snd_pcm_stream_t stream_type)
 
   if (rc < 0)
   {
-    DSP::log << "Buffer size set with error code: " << rc << endl;
+    DSP::log << "Unable to set a buffer size with error code: " << rc << endl;
+    return -5;
   }
 
   /*! Set period size to desired number of frames. */