diff --git a/tools/perf/util/annotate.c b/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
index e8f188c2de8bf73f39bc554796aa51b504831681..264e5223ac40a88787eb07a07ec2d257eac0455c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
@@ -2778,9 +2778,17 @@ int symbol__tty_annotate2(struct map_symbol *ms, struct evsel *evsel,
 	struct rb_root source_line = RB_ROOT;
 	struct hists *hists = evsel__hists(evsel);
 	char buf[1024];
+	int err;
+
+	err = symbol__annotate2(ms, evsel, opts, NULL);
+	if (err) {
+		char msg[BUFSIZ];
 
-	if (symbol__annotate2(ms, evsel, opts, NULL) < 0)
+		dso->annotate_warned = true;
+		symbol__strerror_disassemble(ms, err, msg, sizeof(msg));
+		ui__error("Couldn't annotate %s:\n%s", sym->name, msg);
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	if (opts->print_lines) {
 		srcline_full_filename = opts->full_path;
@@ -2804,9 +2812,17 @@ int symbol__tty_annotate(struct map_symbol *ms, struct evsel *evsel,
 	struct dso *dso = ms->map->dso;
 	struct symbol *sym = ms->sym;
 	struct rb_root source_line = RB_ROOT;
+	int err;
+
+	err = symbol__annotate(ms, evsel, opts, NULL);
+	if (err) {
+		char msg[BUFSIZ];
 
-	if (symbol__annotate(ms, evsel, opts, NULL) < 0)
+		dso->annotate_warned = true;
+		symbol__strerror_disassemble(ms, err, msg, sizeof(msg));
+		ui__error("Couldn't annotate %s:\n%s", sym->name, msg);
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	symbol__calc_percent(sym, evsel);