diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/shader.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/shader.cxx
index 95a2fff67d..68bf6ebd1c 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/shader.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/shader.cxx
@@ -1485,15 +1485,14 @@ cg_compile_entry_point(const char *entry, const ShaderCaps &caps,
     ultimate = CG_PROFILE_UNKNOWN;
   };
 
-  cgGetError();
-
   if (type == ST_fragment && caps._bug_list.count(SBUG_ati_draw_buffers)) {
     compiler_args[nargs++] = "-po";
     compiler_args[nargs++] = "ATI_draw_buffers";
   }
 
   char version_arg[16];
-  if (!cg_glsl_version.empty() && cgGetProfileProperty((CGprofile) active, CG_IS_GLSL_PROFILE)) {
+  if (!cg_glsl_version.empty() && active != CG_PROFILE_UNKNOWN &&
+      cgGetProfileProperty((CGprofile) active, CG_IS_GLSL_PROFILE)) {
     snprintf(version_arg, 16, "version=%s", cg_glsl_version.c_str());
     compiler_args[nargs++] = "-po";
     compiler_args[nargs++] = version_arg;
@@ -1501,6 +1500,8 @@ cg_compile_entry_point(const char *entry, const ShaderCaps &caps,
 
   compiler_args[nargs] = 0;
 
+  cgGetError();
+
   if ((active != (int)CG_PROFILE_UNKNOWN) && (active != ultimate)) {
     // Print out some debug information about what we're doing.
     if (shader_cat.is_debug()) {
@@ -1566,6 +1567,11 @@ cg_compile_entry_point(const char *entry, const ShaderCaps &caps,
     return prog;
   }
 
+  if (shader_cat.is_debug()) {
+    shader_cat.debug()
+      << "Compilation with ultimate profile failed: " << cgGetErrorString(err) << "\n";
+  }
+
   if (prog != 0) {
     cgDestroyProgram(prog);
   }