diff --git a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_vaapi.c b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_vaapi.c
index eed79799e9..8ca2ab134e 100644
--- a/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_vaapi.c
+++ b/video/out/hwdec/hwdec_vaapi.c
@@ -417,7 +417,8 @@ static int mapper_map(struct ra_hwdec_mapper *mapper)
                                    VA_EXPORT_SURFACE_READ_ONLY |
                                    VA_EXPORT_SURFACE_SEPARATE_LAYERS,
                                    &p->desc);
-    if (!CHECK_VA_STATUS(mapper, "vaExportSurfaceHandle()")) {
+    if (!CHECK_VA_STATUS_LEVEL(mapper, "vaExportSurfaceHandle()",
+                               p_owner->probing_formats ? MSGL_V : MSGL_ERR)) {
         if (status == VA_STATUS_ERROR_UNIMPLEMENTED)
             p->esh_not_implemented = true;
         goto esh_failed;
diff --git a/video/vaapi.h b/video/vaapi.h
index b2c31d8a74..6de90b7616 100644
--- a/video/vaapi.h
+++ b/video/vaapi.h
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ struct mp_vaapi_ctx {
     void (*destroy_native_ctx)(void *native_ctx);
 };
 
-#define CHECK_VA_STATUS(ctx, msg) \
+#define CHECK_VA_STATUS_LEVEL(ctx, msg, level) \
     (status == VA_STATUS_SUCCESS ? true \
-        : (MP_ERR(ctx, "%s failed (%s)\n", msg, vaErrorStr(status)), false))
+        : (MP_MSG(ctx, level, "%s failed (%s)\n", msg, vaErrorStr(status)), false))
+
+#define CHECK_VA_STATUS(ctx, msg) \
+    CHECK_VA_STATUS_LEVEL(ctx, msg, MSGL_ERR)
 
 int                      va_get_colorspace_flag(enum mp_csp csp);