diff --git a/include/net/ipcomp.h b/include/net/ipcomp.h
index c31108295079..8660a2a6d1fc 100644
--- a/include/net/ipcomp.h
+++ b/include/net/ipcomp.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ struct xfrm_state;
 int ipcomp_input(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb);
 int ipcomp_output(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb);
 void ipcomp_destroy(struct xfrm_state *x);
-int ipcomp_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x);
+int ipcomp_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x, struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
 
 static inline struct ip_comp_hdr *ip_comp_hdr(const struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipcomp.c b/net/ipv4/ipcomp.c
index 230d1120874f..5a4fb2539b08 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipcomp.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipcomp.c
@@ -130,17 +130,20 @@ static int ipcomp4_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x,
 		x->props.header_len += sizeof(struct iphdr);
 		break;
 	default:
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "Unsupported XFRM mode for IPcomp");
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	err = ipcomp_init_state(x);
+	err = ipcomp_init_state(x, extack);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
 
 	if (x->props.mode == XFRM_MODE_TUNNEL) {
 		err = ipcomp_tunnel_attach(x);
-		if (err)
+		if (err) {
+			NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "Kernel error: failed to initialize the associated state");
 			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	err = 0;
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ipcomp6.c b/net/ipv6/ipcomp6.c
index 7e47009739e9..72d4858dec18 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ipcomp6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ipcomp6.c
@@ -149,17 +149,20 @@ static int ipcomp6_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x,
 		x->props.header_len += sizeof(struct ipv6hdr);
 		break;
 	default:
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "Unsupported XFRM mode for IPcomp");
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	err = ipcomp_init_state(x);
+	err = ipcomp_init_state(x, extack);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
 
 	if (x->props.mode == XFRM_MODE_TUNNEL) {
 		err = ipcomp6_tunnel_attach(x);
-		if (err)
+		if (err) {
+			NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "Kernel error: failed to initialize the associated state");
 			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	err = 0;
diff --git a/net/xfrm/xfrm_ipcomp.c b/net/xfrm/xfrm_ipcomp.c
index cb40ff0ff28d..656045a87606 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/xfrm_ipcomp.c
+++ b/net/xfrm/xfrm_ipcomp.c
@@ -325,18 +325,22 @@ void ipcomp_destroy(struct xfrm_state *x)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ipcomp_destroy);
 
-int ipcomp_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x)
+int ipcomp_init_state(struct xfrm_state *x, struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
 	int err;
 	struct ipcomp_data *ipcd;
 	struct xfrm_algo_desc *calg_desc;
 
 	err = -EINVAL;
-	if (!x->calg)
+	if (!x->calg) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "Missing required compression algorithm");
 		goto out;
+	}
 
-	if (x->encap)
+	if (x->encap) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "IPComp is not compatible with encapsulation");
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	err = -ENOMEM;
 	ipcd = kzalloc(sizeof(*ipcd), GFP_KERNEL);