diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAdec.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAdec.cpp
index e98ce05fea..e1b7121033 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAdec.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAdec.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "Emu/IdManager.h"
 #include "Emu/Cell/PPUModule.h"
 #include "Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_sync.h"
+#include "util/media_utils.h"
 
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 #pragma warning(push, 0)
@@ -489,16 +490,29 @@ public:
 				else if (just_started) // deferred initialization
 				{
 					AVDictionary* opts = nullptr;
-					av_dict_set(&opts, "probesize", "96", 0);
+					err = av_dict_set(&opts, "probesize", "96", 0);
+					if (err < 0)
+					{
+						fmt::throw_exception("av_dict_set(probesize, 96) failed (err=0x%x='%s')", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err));
+					}
 					err = avformat_open_input(&fmt, nullptr, input_format, &opts);
 					if (err || opts)
 					{
-						fmt::throw_exception("avformat_open_input() failed (err=0x%x, opts=%d)", err, opts ? 1 : 0);
+						std::string dict_content;
+						if (opts)
+						{
+							AVDictionaryEntry* tag = nullptr;
+							while ((tag = av_dict_get(opts, "", tag, AV_DICT_IGNORE_SUFFIX)))
+							{
+								fmt::append(dict_content, "['%s': '%s']", tag->key, tag->value);
+							}
+						}
+						fmt::throw_exception("avformat_open_input() failed (err=0x%x='%s', opts=%s)", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err), dict_content);
 					}
 					//err = avformat_find_stream_info(fmt, NULL);
 					//if (err || !fmt->nb_streams)
 					//{
-					//	ADEC_ERROR("adecDecodeAu: avformat_find_stream_info() failed (err=0x%x, nb_streams=%d)", err, fmt->nb_streams);
+					//	fmt::throw_exception("avformat_find_stream_info() failed (err=0x%x='%s', nb_streams=%d)", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err), fmt->nb_streams);
 					//}
 					if (!avformat_new_stream(fmt, codec))
 					{
@@ -507,7 +521,11 @@ public:
 					//ctx = fmt->streams[0]->codec; // TODO: check data
 
 					opts = nullptr;
-					av_dict_set(&opts, "refcounted_frames", "1", 0);
+					err = av_dict_set(&opts, "refcounted_frames", "1", 0);
+					if (err < 0)
+					{
+						fmt::throw_exception("av_dict_set(refcounted_frames, 1) failed (err=0x%x='%s')", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err));
+					}
 					{
 						std::lock_guard lock(g_mutex_avcodec_open2);
 						// not multithread-safe (???)
@@ -515,7 +533,16 @@ public:
 					}
 					if (err || opts)
 					{
-						fmt::throw_exception("avcodec_open2() failed (err=0x%x, opts=%d)", err, opts ? 1 : 0);
+						std::string dict_content;
+						if (opts)
+						{
+							AVDictionaryEntry* tag = nullptr;
+							while ((tag = av_dict_get(opts, "", tag, AV_DICT_IGNORE_SUFFIX)))
+							{
+								fmt::append(dict_content, "['%s': '%s']", tag->key, tag->value);
+							}
+						}
+						fmt::throw_exception("avcodec_open2() failed (err=0x%x='%s', opts=%s)", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err), dict_content);
 					}
 					just_started = false;
 				}
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellVdec.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellVdec.cpp
index 1e8290fc55..7578bc3d02 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellVdec.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellVdec.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_ppu_thread.h"
 #include "Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_process.h"
 #include "sysPrxForUser.h"
+#include "util/media_utils.h"
 
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 #pragma warning(push, 0)
@@ -172,15 +173,29 @@ struct vdec_context final
 		}
 
 		AVDictionary* opts{};
-		av_dict_set(&opts, "refcounted_frames", "1", 0);
+		int err = av_dict_set(&opts, "refcounted_frames", "1", 0);
+		if (err < 0)
+		{
+			avcodec_free_context(&ctx);
+			fmt::throw_exception("av_dict_set(refcounted_frames, 1) failed (err=0x%x='%s')", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err));
+		}
 
 		std::lock_guard lock(g_mutex_avcodec_open2);
 
-		int err = avcodec_open2(ctx, codec, &opts);
+		err = avcodec_open2(ctx, codec, &opts);
 		if (err || opts)
 		{
 			avcodec_free_context(&ctx);
-			fmt::throw_exception("avcodec_open2() failed (err=0x%x, opts=%d)", err, opts ? 1 : 0);
+			std::string dict_content;
+			if (opts)
+			{
+				AVDictionaryEntry* tag = nullptr;
+				while ((tag = av_dict_get(opts, "", tag, AV_DICT_IGNORE_SUFFIX)))
+				{
+					fmt::append(dict_content, "['%s': '%s']", tag->key, tag->value);
+				}
+			}
+			fmt::throw_exception("avcodec_open2() failed (err=0x%x='%s', opts=%s)", err, utils::av_error_to_string(err), dict_content);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/util/media_utils.cpp b/rpcs3/util/media_utils.cpp
index 97a6abc8a2..c1f3524c5e 100644
--- a/rpcs3/util/media_utils.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/util/media_utils.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace utils
 		return def;
 	}
 
-	std::string error_to_string(int error)
+	std::string av_error_to_string(int error)
 	{
 		char av_error[AV_ERROR_MAX_STRING_SIZE];
 		av_make_error_string(av_error, AV_ERROR_MAX_STRING_SIZE, error);
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace utils
 		AVDictionary* av_dict_opts = nullptr;
 		if (int err = av_dict_set(&av_dict_opts, "probesize", "96", 0); err < 0)
 		{
-			media_log.error("av_dict_set: returned with error=%d='%s'", err, error_to_string(err));
+			media_log.error("av_dict_set: returned with error=%d='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err));
 			return { false, std::move(info) };
 		}
 
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ namespace utils
 			// Failed to open file
 			av_dict_free(&av_dict_opts);
 			avformat_free_context(av_format_ctx);
-			media_log.notice("avformat_open_input: could not open file. error=%d='%s' file='%s'", err, error_to_string(err), path);
+			media_log.notice("avformat_open_input: could not open file. error=%d='%s' file='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err), path);
 			return { false, std::move(info) };
 		}
 		av_dict_free(&av_dict_opts);
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ namespace utils
 			// Failed to load stream information
 			avformat_close_input(&av_format_ctx);
 			avformat_free_context(av_format_ctx);
-			media_log.notice("avformat_find_stream_info: could not load stream information. error=%d='%s' file='%s'", err, error_to_string(err), path);
+			media_log.notice("avformat_find_stream_info: could not load stream information. error=%d='%s' file='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err), path);
 			return { false, std::move(info) };
 		}
 
@@ -233,13 +233,13 @@ namespace utils
 			av.format = avformat_alloc_context();
 			if (int err = avformat_open_input(&av.format, path.c_str(), nullptr, nullptr); err < 0)
 			{
-				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Could not open file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", path, err, error_to_string(err));
+				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Could not open file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", path, err, av_error_to_string(err));
 				has_error = true;
 				return;
 			}
 			if (int err = avformat_find_stream_info(av.format, nullptr); err < 0)
 			{
-				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Could not retrieve stream info from file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", path, err, error_to_string(err));
+				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Could not retrieve stream info from file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", path, err, av_error_to_string(err));
 				has_error = true;
 				return;
 			}
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ namespace utils
 			// Open decoder
 			if (int err = avcodec_open2(av.context, av.codec, nullptr); err < 0)
 			{
-				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Failed to open decoder for stream #%u in file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", stream_index, path, err, error_to_string(err));
+				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Failed to open decoder for stream #%u in file '%s'. Error: %d='%s'", stream_index, path, err, av_error_to_string(err));
 				has_error = true;
 				return;
 			}
@@ -311,14 +311,14 @@ namespace utils
 				(set_err = av_opt_set_sample_fmt(av.swr, "in_sample_fmt", static_cast<AVSampleFormat>(stream->codecpar->format), 0)) ||
 				(set_err = av_opt_set_sample_fmt(av.swr, "out_sample_fmt", dst_format, 0)))
 			{
-				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Failed to set resampler options: Error: %d='%s'", set_err, error_to_string(set_err));
+				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Failed to set resampler options: Error: %d='%s'", set_err, av_error_to_string(set_err));
 				has_error = true;
 				return;
 			}
 
 			if (int err = swr_init(av.swr); err < 0 || !swr_is_initialized(av.swr))
 			{
-				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Resampler has not been properly initialized: %d='%s'", err, error_to_string(err));
+				media_log.error("audio_decoder: Resampler has not been properly initialized: %d='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err));
 				has_error = true;
 				return;
 			}
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ namespace utils
 			{
 				if (int err = avcodec_send_packet(av.context, &packet); err < 0)
 				{
-					media_log.error("audio_decoder: Queuing error: %d='%s'", err, error_to_string(err));
+					media_log.error("audio_decoder: Queuing error: %d='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err));
 					has_error = true;
 					return;
 				}
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ namespace utils
 						if (err == AVERROR(EAGAIN) || err == averror_eof)
 							break;
 
-						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Decoding error: %d='%s'", err, error_to_string(err));
+						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Decoding error: %d='%s'", err, av_error_to_string(err));
 						has_error = true;
 						return;
 					}
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ namespace utils
 					const int buffer_size = av_samples_alloc(&buffer, nullptr, dst_channels, av.frame->nb_samples, dst_format, align);
 					if (buffer_size < 0)
 					{
-						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Error allocating buffer: %d='%s'", buffer_size, error_to_string(buffer_size));
+						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Error allocating buffer: %d='%s'", buffer_size, av_error_to_string(buffer_size));
 						has_error = true;
 						return;
 					}
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ namespace utils
 					const int frame_count = swr_convert(av.swr, &buffer, av.frame->nb_samples, const_cast<const uint8_t**>(av.frame->data), av.frame->nb_samples);
 					if (frame_count < 0)
 					{
-						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Error converting frame: %d='%s'", frame_count, error_to_string(frame_count));
+						media_log.error("audio_decoder: Error converting frame: %d='%s'", frame_count, av_error_to_string(frame_count));
 						has_error = true;
 						if (buffer)
 							av_free(buffer);
diff --git a/rpcs3/util/media_utils.h b/rpcs3/util/media_utils.h
index 7e7c1e1bad..58c49f3129 100644
--- a/rpcs3/util/media_utils.h
+++ b/rpcs3/util/media_utils.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 namespace utils
 {
+	std::string av_error_to_string(int error);
+
 	struct media_info
 	{
 		std::string path;