diff --git a/fs/dlm/lock.c b/fs/dlm/lock.c
index 026c203ff529..354f79254d62 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lock.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lock.c
@@ -2900,11 +2900,25 @@ static int validate_lock_args(struct dlm_ls *ls, struct dlm_lkb *lkb,
 #endif
 	rv = 0;
  out:
-	if (rv)
+	switch (rv) {
+	case 0:
+		break;
+	case -EINVAL:
+		/* annoy the user because dlm usage is wrong */
+		WARN_ON(1);
+		log_error(ls, "%s %d %x %x %x %d %d %s", __func__,
+			  rv, lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_flags, args->flags,
+			  lkb->lkb_status, lkb->lkb_wait_type,
+			  lkb->lkb_resource->res_name);
+		break;
+	default:
 		log_debug(ls, "%s %d %x %x %x %d %d %s", __func__,
 			  rv, lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_flags, args->flags,
 			  lkb->lkb_status, lkb->lkb_wait_type,
 			  lkb->lkb_resource->res_name);
+		break;
+	}
+
 	return rv;
 }
 
@@ -3037,11 +3051,25 @@ static int validate_unlock_args(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, struct dlm_args *args)
 	lkb->lkb_astparam = args->astparam;
 	rv = 0;
  out:
-	if (rv)
+	switch (rv) {
+	case 0:
+		break;
+	case -EINVAL:
+		/* annoy the user because dlm usage is wrong */
+		WARN_ON(1);
+		log_error(ls, "%s %d %x %x %x %x %d %s", __func__, rv,
+			  lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_flags, lkb->lkb_exflags,
+			  args->flags, lkb->lkb_wait_type,
+			  lkb->lkb_resource->res_name);
+		break;
+	default:
 		log_debug(ls, "%s %d %x %x %x %x %d %s", __func__, rv,
 			  lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_flags, lkb->lkb_exflags,
 			  args->flags, lkb->lkb_wait_type,
 			  lkb->lkb_resource->res_name);
+		break;
+	}
+
 	return rv;
 }