diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
index 913c83e2bf1c..138e72f74377 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
@@ -1391,37 +1391,29 @@ struct pinctrl_dev *pinctrl_register(struct pinctrl_desc *pctldesc,
 	/* check core ops for sanity */
 	ret = pinctrl_check_ops(pctldev);
 	if (ret) {
-		pr_err("%s pinctrl ops lacks necessary functions\n",
-			pctldesc->name);
+		dev_err(dev, "pinctrl ops lacks necessary functions\n");
 		goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	/* If we're implementing pinmuxing, check the ops for sanity */
 	if (pctldesc->pmxops) {
 		ret = pinmux_check_ops(pctldev);
-		if (ret) {
-			pr_err("%s pinmux ops lacks necessary functions\n",
-			       pctldesc->name);
+		if (ret)
 			goto out_err;
-		}
 	}
 
 	/* If we're implementing pinconfig, check the ops for sanity */
 	if (pctldesc->confops) {
 		ret = pinconf_check_ops(pctldev);
-		if (ret) {
-			pr_err("%s pin config ops lacks necessary functions\n",
-			       pctldesc->name);
+		if (ret)
 			goto out_err;
-		}
 	}
 
 	/* Register all the pins */
-	pr_debug("try to register %d pins on %s...\n",
-		 pctldesc->npins, pctldesc->name);
+	dev_dbg(dev, "try to register %d pins ...\n",  pctldesc->npins);
 	ret = pinctrl_register_pins(pctldev, pctldesc->pins, pctldesc->npins);
 	if (ret) {
-		pr_err("error during pin registration\n");
+		dev_err(dev, "error during pin registration\n");
 		pinctrl_free_pindescs(pctldev, pctldesc->pins,
 				      pctldesc->npins);
 		goto out_err;
@@ -1436,8 +1428,15 @@ struct pinctrl_dev *pinctrl_register(struct pinctrl_desc *pctldesc,
 		struct pinctrl_state *s =
 			pinctrl_lookup_state_locked(pctldev->p,
 						    PINCTRL_STATE_DEFAULT);
-		if (!IS_ERR(s))
-			pinctrl_select_state_locked(pctldev->p, s);
+		if (IS_ERR(s)) {
+			dev_dbg(dev, "failed to lookup the default state\n");
+		} else {
+			ret = pinctrl_select_state_locked(pctldev->p, s);
+			if (ret) {
+				dev_err(dev,
+					"failed to select default state\n");
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&pinctrl_mutex);
diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/pinconf.c b/drivers/pinctrl/pinconf.c
index 14f48c96b20d..7ce139ef7e64 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/pinconf.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/pinconf.c
@@ -28,11 +28,17 @@ int pinconf_check_ops(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev)
 	const struct pinconf_ops *ops = pctldev->desc->confops;
 
 	/* We must be able to read out pin status */
-	if (!ops->pin_config_get && !ops->pin_config_group_get)
+	if (!ops->pin_config_get && !ops->pin_config_group_get) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev,
+			"pinconf must be able to read out pin status\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 	/* We have to be able to config the pins in SOME way */
-	if (!ops->pin_config_set && !ops->pin_config_group_set)
+	if (!ops->pin_config_set && !ops->pin_config_group_set) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev,
+			"pinconf has to be able to set a pins config\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c b/drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c
index 7cd0c7d0f2cf..2df753508eca 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ int pinmux_check_ops(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev)
 	    !ops->get_function_name ||
 	    !ops->get_function_groups ||
 	    !ops->enable ||
-	    !ops->disable)
+	    !ops->disable) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "pinmux ops lacks necessary functions\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
-
+	}
 	/* Check that all functions registered have names */
 	nfuncs = ops->get_functions_count(pctldev);
 	while (selector < nfuncs) {
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ static int pin_request(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
 		status = 0;
 
 	if (status) {
-		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "->request on device %s failed for pin %d\n",
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "request on device %s failed for pin %d\n",
 		       pctldev->desc->name, pin);
 		module_put(pctldev->owner);
 	}
@@ -330,17 +331,26 @@ int pinmux_map_to_setting(struct pinctrl_map const *map,
 	}
 
 	ret = pinmux_func_name_to_selector(pctldev, map->data.mux.function);
-	if (ret < 0)
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "invalid function %s in map table\n",
+			map->data.mux.function);
 		return ret;
+	}
 	setting->data.mux.func = ret;
 
 	ret = pmxops->get_function_groups(pctldev, setting->data.mux.func,
 					  &groups, &num_groups);
-	if (ret < 0)
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "can't query groups for function %s\n",
+			map->data.mux.function);
 		return ret;
-	if (!num_groups)
+	}
+	if (!num_groups) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev,
+			"function %s can't be selected on any group\n",
+			map->data.mux.function);
 		return -EINVAL;
-
+	}
 	if (map->data.mux.group) {
 		bool found = false;
 		group = map->data.mux.group;
@@ -350,15 +360,22 @@ int pinmux_map_to_setting(struct pinctrl_map const *map,
 				break;
 			}
 		}
-		if (!found)
+		if (!found) {
+			dev_err(pctldev->dev,
+				"invalid group \"%s\" for function \"%s\"\n",
+				group, map->data.mux.function);
 			return -EINVAL;
+		}
 	} else {
 		group = groups[0];
 	}
 
 	ret = pinctrl_get_group_selector(pctldev, group);
-	if (ret < 0)
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		dev_err(pctldev->dev, "invalid group %s in map table\n",
+			map->data.mux.group);
 		return ret;
+	}
 	setting->data.mux.group = ret;
 
 	ret = pctlops->get_group_pins(pctldev, setting->data.mux.group, &pins,
@@ -375,7 +392,7 @@ int pinmux_map_to_setting(struct pinctrl_map const *map,
 		ret = pin_request(pctldev, pins[i], map->dev_name, NULL);
 		if (ret) {
 			dev_err(pctldev->dev,
-				"could not get request pin %d on device %s\n",
+				"could not request pin %d on device %s\n",
 				pins[i], pinctrl_dev_get_name(pctldev));
 			/* On error release all taken pins */
 			i--; /* this pin just failed */