diff --git a/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.cc b/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.cc
index 6367f80d0a6d..11273a80ee3e 100644
--- a/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.cc
+++ b/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.cc
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ MediaTransform::MediaTransform(CLSID clsid)
   if (FAILED(hr) || !transform_) {
     transform_ = nullptr;
     state_ = kDrained;
+    transform_create_error_message_ =
+        "Could not create decoder transform. " +
+        ::starboard::shared::win32::HResultToString(hr);
   }
 }
 
@@ -310,6 +313,10 @@ HRESULT MediaTransform::SendMessage(MFT_MESSAGE_TYPE msg,
   return transform_->ProcessMessage(msg, data);
 }
 
+std::string MediaTransform::GetTransformCreateError() const {
+  return transform_create_error_message_;
+}
+
 void MediaTransform::Reset() {
   if (stream_begun_) {
     SendMessage(MFT_MESSAGE_COMMAND_FLUSH);
diff --git a/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.h b/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.h
index ecc9abd81e47..d939998f51d1 100644
--- a/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.h
+++ b/starboard/shared/win32/media_transform.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <mfidl.h>
 #include <wrl\client.h>
 
+#include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "starboard/media.h"
@@ -84,6 +85,8 @@ class MediaTransform {
 
   HRESULT SendMessage(MFT_MESSAGE_TYPE msg, ULONG_PTR data = 0);
 
+  std::string GetTransformCreateError() const;
+
   // Reset the media transform to its original state.
   void Reset();
 
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ class MediaTransform {
   bool stream_begun_;
   bool discontinuity_;
   bool throttle_inputs_;
+  std::string transform_create_error_message_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace win32
diff --git a/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.cc b/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.cc
index f8890195d88b..fa0c495cb633 100644
--- a/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.cc
+++ b/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.cc
@@ -98,10 +98,12 @@ scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> CreateVideoTransform(
     const GUID& decoder_guid,
     const GUID& input_guid,
     const GUID& output_guid,
-    const IMFDXGIDeviceManager* device_manager) {
+    const IMFDXGIDeviceManager* device_manager,
+    std::string* error_message) {
   scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> media_transform(new MediaTransform(decoder_guid));
   if (!media_transform->HasValidTransform()) {
     // Decoder Transform setup failed
+    *error_message = media_transform->GetTransformCreateError();
     return scoped_ptr<MediaTransform>().Pass();
   }
   media_transform->EnableInputThrottle(true);
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> CreateVideoTransform(
   ComPtr<IMFAttributes> attributes = media_transform->GetAttributes();
   if (!attributes) {
     // Decoder Transform setup failed
+    *error_message = "Invalid MediaTransform attributes";
     return scoped_ptr<MediaTransform>().Pass();
   }
 
@@ -124,6 +127,8 @@ scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> CreateVideoTransform(
       hr = attributes->SetUINT32(CODECAPI_AVDecVideoAcceleration_H264, FALSE);
       if (FAILED(hr)) {
         SB_LOG(WARNING) << "Unable to disable DXVA.";
+        *error_message = "Unable to disable DXVA. " +
+                         ::starboard::shared::win32::HResultToString(hr);
         return scoped_ptr<MediaTransform>().Pass();
       }
     } else {
@@ -139,11 +144,13 @@ scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> CreateVideoTransform(
   // Tell the decoder to allocate resources for the maximum resolution in
   // order to minimize glitching on resolution changes.
   if (FAILED(attributes->SetUINT32(MF_MT_DECODER_USE_MAX_RESOLUTION, 1))) {
+    *error_message = "Cannot allocate resources for maximum resolution.";
     return scoped_ptr<MediaTransform>().Pass();
   }
 
   ComPtr<IMFMediaType> input_type;
   if (FAILED(MFCreateMediaType(&input_type)) || !input_type) {
+    *error_message = "Invalid IMFMediaType.";
     return scoped_ptr<MediaTransform>().Pass();
   }
   CheckResult(input_type->SetGUID(MF_MT_MAJOR_TYPE, MFMediaType_Video));
@@ -274,11 +281,13 @@ void VideoDecoder::Initialize(const DecoderStatusCB& decoder_status_cb,
   SB_DCHECK(error_cb);
   decoder_status_cb_ = decoder_status_cb;
   error_cb_ = error_cb;
+  std::string error_message;
   if (video_device_) {
-    InitializeCodec();
+    InitializeCodec(&error_message);
   }
   if (!decoder_) {
-    error_cb_(kSbPlayerErrorDecode, "Cannot initialize codec.");
+    error_cb_(kSbPlayerErrorDecode,
+              "Cannot initialize codec. Error: " + error_message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -421,43 +430,49 @@ SbDecodeTarget VideoDecoder::CreateDecodeTarget() {
   return decode_target;
 }
 
-void VideoDecoder::InitializeCodec() {
+void VideoDecoder::InitializeCodec(std::string* error_message) {
   scoped_ptr<MediaTransform> media_transform;
 
   // If this is updated then media_is_video_supported.cc also needs to be
   // updated.
   switch (video_codec_) {
     case kSbMediaVideoCodecH264: {
-      media_transform =
-          CreateVideoTransform(CLSID_MSH264DecoderMFT, MFVideoFormat_H264,
-                               MFVideoFormat_NV12, device_manager_.Get());
+      media_transform = CreateVideoTransform(
+          CLSID_MSH264DecoderMFT, MFVideoFormat_H264, MFVideoFormat_NV12,
+          device_manager_.Get(), error_message);
       priming_output_count_ = 0;
       if (!media_transform) {
         SB_LOG(WARNING) << "H264 hardware decoder creation failed.";
+        *error_message =
+            "H264 hardware decoder creation failed. " + *error_message;
         return;
       }
       break;
     }
     case kSbMediaVideoCodecVp9: {
       if (IsHardwareVp9DecoderSupported()) {
-        media_transform =
-            CreateVideoTransform(CLSID_MSVPxDecoder, MFVideoFormat_VP90,
-                                 MFVideoFormat_NV12, device_manager_.Get());
+        media_transform = CreateVideoTransform(
+            CLSID_MSVPxDecoder, MFVideoFormat_VP90, MFVideoFormat_NV12,
+            device_manager_.Get(), error_message);
         priming_output_count_ = kVp9PrimingFrameCount;
       }
       if (!media_transform) {
         SB_LOG(WARNING) << "VP9 hardware decoder creation failed.";
+        *error_message =
+            "VP9 hardware decoder creation failed. " + *error_message;
         return;
       }
       break;
     }
     case kSbMediaVideoCodecAv1: {
-      media_transform =
-          CreateVideoTransform(MFVideoFormat_AV1, MFVideoFormat_AV1,
-                               MFVideoFormat_NV12, device_manager_.Get());
+      media_transform = CreateVideoTransform(
+          MFVideoFormat_AV1, MFVideoFormat_AV1, MFVideoFormat_NV12,
+          device_manager_.Get(), error_message);
       priming_output_count_ = 0;
       if (!media_transform) {
         SB_LOG(WARNING) << "AV1 hardware decoder creation failed.";
+        *error_message =
+            "AV1 hardware decoder creation failed. " + *error_message;
         return;
       }
       break;
diff --git a/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.h b/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.h
index 8457a23bb6c5..249eda2eeb65 100644
--- a/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.h
+++ b/starboard/shared/win32/video_decoder.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <atomic>
 #include <list>
 #include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 #include "starboard/common/mutex.h"
 #include "starboard/common/ref_counted.h"
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ class VideoDecoder
     return true;
   }
 
-  void InitializeCodec();
+  void InitializeCodec(std::string* error_message);
   void ShutdownCodec();
   static void ReleaseDecodeTargets(void* context);