diff --git a/libobs/obs-encoder.c b/libobs/obs-encoder.c
index 6ba2fafc6..a4f158910 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-encoder.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-encoder.c
@@ -276,6 +276,8 @@ static void obs_encoder_actually_destroy(obs_encoder_t *encoder)
 		obs_context_data_free(&encoder->context);
 		if (encoder->owns_info_id)
 			bfree((void *)encoder->info.id);
+		if (encoder->last_error_message)
+			bfree(encoder->last_error_message);
 		bfree(encoder);
 	}
 }
@@ -1484,3 +1486,25 @@ bool obs_encoder_paused(const obs_encoder_t *encoder)
 		       ? os_atomic_load_bool(&encoder->paused)
 		       : false;
 }
+
+const char *obs_encoder_get_last_error(obs_encoder_t *encoder)
+{
+	if (!obs_encoder_valid(encoder, "obs_encoder_get_last_error"))
+		return NULL;
+
+	return encoder->last_error_message;
+}
+
+void obs_encoder_set_last_error(obs_encoder_t *encoder, const char *message)
+{
+	if (!obs_encoder_valid(encoder, "obs_encoder_set_last_error"))
+		return;
+
+	if (encoder->last_error_message)
+		bfree(encoder->last_error_message);
+
+	if (message)
+		encoder->last_error_message = bstrdup(message);
+	else
+		encoder->last_error_message = NULL;
+}
diff --git a/libobs/obs-internal.h b/libobs/obs-internal.h
index b67446cac..94013d698 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-internal.h
+++ b/libobs/obs-internal.h
@@ -1076,6 +1076,7 @@ struct obs_encoder {
 	struct pause_data pause;
 
 	const char *profile_encoder_encode_name;
+	char *last_error_message;
 };
 
 extern struct obs_encoder_info *find_encoder(const char *id);
diff --git a/libobs/obs-output.c b/libobs/obs-output.c
index a68097051..7fd31d7f3 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-output.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-output.c
@@ -1979,6 +1979,9 @@ static inline bool initialize_audio_encoders(obs_output_t *output,
 {
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < num_mixes; i++) {
 		if (!obs_encoder_initialize(output->audio_encoders[i])) {
+			obs_output_set_last_error(
+				output, obs_encoder_get_last_error(
+						output->audio_encoders[i]));
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
@@ -2038,8 +2041,12 @@ bool obs_output_initialize_encoders(obs_output_t *output, uint32_t flags)
 
 	if (!encoded)
 		return false;
-	if (has_video && !obs_encoder_initialize(output->video_encoder))
+	if (has_video && !obs_encoder_initialize(output->video_encoder)) {
+		obs_output_set_last_error(
+			output,
+			obs_encoder_get_last_error(output->video_encoder));
 		return false;
+	}
 	if (has_audio && !initialize_audio_encoders(output, num_mixes))
 		return false;
 
diff --git a/libobs/obs.h b/libobs/obs.h
index 0d3851ceb..fcb5879e1 100644
--- a/libobs/obs.h
+++ b/libobs/obs.h
@@ -2102,6 +2102,10 @@ EXPORT void *obs_encoder_create_rerouted(obs_encoder_t *encoder,
 /** Returns whether encoder is paused */
 EXPORT bool obs_encoder_paused(const obs_encoder_t *output);
 
+EXPORT const char *obs_encoder_get_last_error(obs_encoder_t *encoder);
+EXPORT void obs_encoder_set_last_error(obs_encoder_t *encoder,
+				      const char *message);
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* Stream Services */