diff --git a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
index 867bf415e..fcb61acea 100644
--- a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
+++ b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
@@ -128,8 +128,12 @@ ReturnValue_t DeviceHandlerBase::initialize() {
 		AcceptsDeviceResponsesIF *rawReceiver = objectManager->get<
 				AcceptsDeviceResponsesIF>(rawDataReceiverId);
 
-		if (rawReceiver == NULL) {
-			return RETURN_FAILED;
+		if (rawReceiver == nullptr) {
+			sif::error << "DeviceHandlerBase::initialize: Raw receiver object "
+					"ID set but no valid object found." << std::endl;
+			sif::error << "Make sure the raw receiver object is set up properly"
+					" and implements AcceptsDeviceResponsesIF" << std::endl;
+			return ObjectManagerIF::CHILD_INIT_FAILED;
 		}
 		defaultRawReceiver = rawReceiver->getDeviceQueue();
 	}
diff --git a/fdir/FailureIsolationBase.cpp b/fdir/FailureIsolationBase.cpp
index 018fbe6a4..a2fc9ea18 100644
--- a/fdir/FailureIsolationBase.cpp
+++ b/fdir/FailureIsolationBase.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ ReturnValue_t FailureIsolationBase::initialize() {
 			return result;
 		}
 		owner = objectManager->get<HasHealthIF>(ownerId);
-		if (owner == NULL) {
-			return RETURN_FAILED;
+		if (owner == nullptr) {
+			sif::error << "FailureIsolationBase::intialize: Owner object "
+					"invalid. Make sure it implements HasHealthIF" << std::endl;
+			return ObjectManagerIF::CHILD_INIT_FAILED;
 		}
 	}
 	if (faultTreeParent != 0) {