diff --git a/src/arch/xtensa/schedule/task.c b/src/arch/xtensa/schedule/task.c
index 938bcd99f8e5..148afed6426c 100644
--- a/src/arch/xtensa/schedule/task.c
+++ b/src/arch/xtensa/schedule/task.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ int task_context_init(void *task_ctx, void *entry, void *arg0, void *arg1,
 		ctx->stack_size = stack_size;
 	} else {
 		ctx->stack_base = rballoc(RZONE_BUFFER, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
-					  SOF_TASK_DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE);
+					  SOF_TASK_DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE, false);
 		if (!ctx->stack_base)
 			return -ENOMEM;
 		ctx->stack_size = SOF_TASK_DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE;
diff --git a/src/audio/buffer.c b/src/audio/buffer.c
index 07711fb6be12..200bf147792f 100644
--- a/src/audio/buffer.c
+++ b/src/audio/buffer.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct comp_buffer *buffer_alloc(uint32_t size, uint32_t caps, uint32_t align)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	buffer->addr = rballoc_align(RZONE_BUFFER, caps, size, align);
+	buffer->addr = rballoc_align(RZONE_BUFFER, caps, size, align, false);
 	if (!buffer->addr) {
 		rfree(buffer);
 		trace_buffer_error("buffer_alloc() error: "
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ int buffer_set_size(struct comp_buffer *buffer, uint32_t size)
 	if (size == buffer->size)
 		return 0;
 
-	new_ptr = rbrealloc(buffer->addr, RZONE_BUFFER, buffer->caps, size);
+	new_ptr = rbrealloc(buffer->addr, RZONE_BUFFER, buffer->caps, size,
+			    false);
 
 	/* we couldn't allocate bigger chunk */
 	if (!new_ptr && size > buffer->size) {
diff --git a/src/audio/detect_test.c b/src/audio/detect_test.c
index 6716aa650f58..686bb20c10ad 100644
--- a/src/audio/detect_test.c
+++ b/src/audio/detect_test.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int alloc_mem_load(struct comp_data *cd, uint32_t size)
 
 	free_mem_load(cd);
 
-	cd->model.data = rballoc(RZONE_BUFFER, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, size);
+	cd->model.data = rballoc(RZONE_BUFFER, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, size, false);
 
 	if (!cd->model.data) {
 		trace_keyword_error("alloc_mem_load() alloc failed");
diff --git a/src/audio/eq_fir/eq_fir.c b/src/audio/eq_fir/eq_fir.c
index 8adab685384e..6c9d3ef23c60 100644
--- a/src/audio/eq_fir/eq_fir.c
+++ b/src/audio/eq_fir/eq_fir.c
@@ -345,7 +345,8 @@ static int eq_fir_setup(struct comp_data *cd, int nch)
 		return 0;
 
 	/* Allocate all FIR channels data in a big chunk and clear it */
-	cd->fir_delay = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, size_sum);
+	cd->fir_delay = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, size_sum,
+				false);
 	if (!cd->fir_delay) {
 		trace_eq_error("eq_fir_setup() error: alloc failed, size = %u",
 			       size_sum);
@@ -435,7 +436,8 @@ static struct comp_dev *eq_fir_new(struct sof_ipc_comp *comp)
 	 * the EQ is configured later in run-time the size is zero.
 	 */
 	if (bs) {
-		cd->config = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, bs);
+		cd->config = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, bs,
+				     false);
 		if (!cd->config) {
 			rfree(dev);
 			rfree(cd);
@@ -609,7 +611,8 @@ static int fir_cmd_set_data(struct comp_dev *dev,
 			/* Allocate buffer for copy of the blob. */
 			cd->config = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
 					     cdata->num_elems +
-					     cdata->elems_remaining);
+					     cdata->elems_remaining,
+					     false);
 
 			if (!cd->config) {
 				trace_eq_error_with_ids(dev, "fir_cmd_set_data() "
diff --git a/src/audio/kpb.c b/src/audio/kpb.c
index bfda90c827a5..00dcc08af4de 100644
--- a/src/audio/kpb.c
+++ b/src/audio/kpb.c
@@ -213,7 +213,8 @@ static size_t kpb_allocate_history_buffer(struct comp_data *kpb)
 		/* Try to allocate ca_size (current allocation size). At first
 		 * attempt it will be equal to hb_size (history buffer size).
 		 */
-		new_mem_block = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, hb_mcp[i], ca_size);
+		new_mem_block = rballoc(RZONE_RUNTIME, hb_mcp[i], ca_size,
+					true);
 
 		if (new_mem_block) {
 			/* We managed to allocate a block of ca_size.
diff --git a/src/audio/src/src.c b/src/audio/src/src.c
index d6de83fbe9b9..4b12d8bf745d 100644
--- a/src/audio/src/src.c
+++ b/src/audio/src/src.c
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ static int src_params(struct comp_dev *dev)
 		rfree(cd->delay_lines);
 
 	cd->delay_lines = rballoc(RZONE_BUFFER, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
-				  delay_lines_size);
+				  delay_lines_size, false);
 	if (!cd->delay_lines) {
 		trace_src_error_with_ids(dev, "src_params() error: "
 					 "failed to alloc cd->delay_lines, "
diff --git a/src/include/sof/lib/alloc.h b/src/include/sof/lib/alloc.h
index 715a4c5a3e9a..edb62ce8db2d 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/lib/alloc.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/lib/alloc.h
@@ -106,10 +106,11 @@ struct mm {
 /* heap allocation and free */
 void *_malloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes);
 void *_zalloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes);
-void *_balloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment);
+void *_balloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment,
+	      bool can_fail);
 void *_realloc(void *ptr, int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes);
 void *_brealloc(void *ptr, int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
-		uint32_t alignment);
+		uint32_t alignment, bool can_fail);
 void rfree(void *ptr);
 
 #if CONFIG_DEBUG_HEAP
@@ -142,10 +143,11 @@ void rfree(void *ptr);
 	} while (0);					\
 	_ptr; })
 
-#define rballoc(zone, caps, bytes)			\
+#define rballoc(zone, caps, bytes, can_fail)			\
 	({void *_ptr;					\
 	do {						\
-		_ptr = _balloc(zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN);\
+		_ptr = _balloc(zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN, \
+			       can_fail);\
 		if (!_ptr) {				\
 			trace_error(TRACE_CLASS_MEM,	\
 				   "failed to alloc 0x%x bytes caps 0x%x", \
@@ -168,11 +170,11 @@ void rfree(void *ptr);
 	} while (0);					\
 	_ptr; })
 
-#define rbrealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes)		\
+#define rbrealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, can_fail)		\
 	({void *_ptr;					\
 	do {						\
 		_ptr = _brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes,\
-				 PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN);\
+				 PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN, can_fail);\
 		if (!_ptr) {				\
 			trace_error(TRACE_CLASS_MEM,	\
 				   "failed to alloc 0x%x bytes caps 0x%x", \
@@ -182,10 +184,11 @@ void rfree(void *ptr);
 	} while (0);					\
 	_ptr; })
 
-#define rbrealloc_align(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment)		\
+#define rbrealloc_align(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail) \
 	({void *_ptr;					\
 	do {						\
-		_ptr = _brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment);	\
+		_ptr = _brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment, \
+				 can_fail); \
 		if (!_ptr) {				\
 			trace_error(TRACE_CLASS_MEM,	\
 				   "failed to alloc 0x%x bytes caps 0x%x", \
@@ -195,10 +198,10 @@ void rfree(void *ptr);
 	} while (0);					\
 	_ptr; })
 
-#define rballoc_align(zone, caps, bytes, alignment)			\
+#define rballoc_align(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail) \
 	({void *_ptr;					\
 	do {						\
-		_ptr = _balloc(zone, caps, bytes, alignment);	\
+		_ptr = _balloc(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail);	\
 		if (!_ptr) {				\
 			trace_error(TRACE_CLASS_MEM,	\
 				   "failed to alloc 0x%x bytes caps 0x%x", \
@@ -215,16 +218,16 @@ void alloc_trace_buffer_heap(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes);
 
 #define rmalloc(zone, caps, bytes)	_malloc(zone, caps, bytes)
 #define rzalloc(zone, caps, bytes)	_zalloc(zone, caps, bytes)
-#define rballoc(zone, caps, bytes)	\
-	_balloc(zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN)
-#define rballoc_align(zone, caps, bytes, alignment)	\
-	_balloc(zone, caps, bytes, alignment)
+#define rballoc(zone, caps, bytes, can_fail)	\
+	_balloc(zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN, can_fail)
+#define rballoc_align(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail)	\
+	_balloc(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail)
 #define rrealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes)	\
 	_realloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes)
-#define rbrealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes)	\
-	_brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN)
-#define rbrealloc_align(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment)	\
-	_brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment)
+#define rbrealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, can_fail)	\
+	_brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, PLATFORM_DCACHE_ALIGN, can_fail)
+#define rbrealloc_align(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail)	\
+	_brealloc(ptr, zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail)
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/lib/alloc.c b/src/lib/alloc.c
index 11c391516637..4ccb73b191ed 100644
--- a/src/lib/alloc.c
+++ b/src/lib/alloc.c
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ static void *alloc_block(struct mm_heap *heap, int level,
 
 /* allocates continuous blocks */
 static void *alloc_cont_blocks(struct mm_heap *heap, int level,
-	uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment)
+	uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment, bool can_fail)
 {
 	struct block_map *map = &heap->map[level];
 	struct block_hdr *hdr;
@@ -292,9 +292,16 @@ static void *alloc_cont_blocks(struct mm_heap *heap, int level,
 	}
 
 	if (count > map->count || remaining < count) {
-		trace_mem_error("error: %d blocks needed for allocation "
-				"but only %d blocks are remaining",
-				count, remaining);
+		if (can_fail)
+			trace_mem_error("Error: %d blocks needed for "
+					"allocation of %d bytes but only %d "
+					"blocks are remaining", count, bytes,
+					 remaining);
+		else
+			trace_mem_init("Warning! Not enough free blocks to "
+				       "satisfy request of %d bytes. "
+				       "Available blocks %d, needed %d",
+					bytes, count, remaining);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -717,7 +724,7 @@ void *rzalloc_core_sys(int core, size_t bytes)
 
 /* allocates continuous buffers - not for direct use, clients use rballoc() */
 static void *alloc_heap_buffer(struct mm_heap *heap, int zone, uint32_t caps,
-			       size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment)
+			       size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment, bool can_fail)
 {
 	struct block_map *map;
 	int i, temp_bytes = bytes;
@@ -770,7 +777,8 @@ static void *alloc_heap_buffer(struct mm_heap *heap, int zone, uint32_t caps,
 			/* allocate if block size is smaller than request */
 			if (heap->size >= bytes	&& map->block_size < bytes) {
 				ptr = alloc_cont_blocks(heap, i, caps,
-							bytes, alignment);
+							bytes, alignment,
+							can_fail);
 				if (ptr)
 					break;
 			}
@@ -789,7 +797,7 @@ static void *alloc_heap_buffer(struct mm_heap *heap, int zone, uint32_t caps,
 }
 
 static void *_balloc_unlocked(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
-			      uint32_t alignment)
+			      uint32_t alignment, bool can_fail)
 {
 	struct mm_heap *heap;
 	unsigned int i, n;
@@ -803,7 +811,8 @@ static void *_balloc_unlocked(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
 		if (!heap)
 			break;
 
-		ptr = alloc_heap_buffer(heap, zone, caps, bytes, alignment);
+		ptr = alloc_heap_buffer(heap, zone, caps, bytes, alignment,
+					can_fail);
 		if (ptr)
 			break;
 
@@ -814,14 +823,15 @@ static void *_balloc_unlocked(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
 }
 
 /* allocates continuous buffers - not for direct use, clients use rballoc() */
-void *_balloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment)
+void *_balloc(int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes, uint32_t alignment,
+	      bool can_fail)
 {
 	void *ptr = NULL;
 	uint32_t flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irq(memmap.lock, flags);
 
-	ptr = _balloc_unlocked(zone, caps, bytes, alignment);
+	ptr = _balloc_unlocked(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail);
 
 	spin_unlock_irq(memmap.lock, flags);
 
@@ -891,7 +901,7 @@ void *_realloc(void *ptr, int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes)
 }
 
 void *_brealloc(void *ptr, int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
-		uint32_t alignment)
+		uint32_t alignment, bool can_fail)
 {
 	void *new_ptr = NULL;
 	uint32_t flags;
@@ -901,7 +911,7 @@ void *_brealloc(void *ptr, int zone, uint32_t caps, size_t bytes,
 
 	spin_lock_irq(memmap.lock, flags);
 
-	new_ptr = _balloc_unlocked(zone, caps, bytes, alignment);
+	new_ptr = _balloc_unlocked(zone, caps, bytes, alignment, can_fail);
 
 	if (new_ptr && ptr)
 		memcpy_s(new_ptr, bytes, ptr, bytes);
diff --git a/src/trace/dma-trace.c b/src/trace/dma-trace.c
index cfaaf495788b..16abe67e8385 100644
--- a/src/trace/dma-trace.c
+++ b/src/trace/dma-trace.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static int dma_trace_buffer_init(struct dma_trace_data *d)
 	/* allocate new buffer */
 	buf = rballoc(RZONE_BUFFER,
 		      SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM | SOF_MEM_CAPS_DMA,
-		      DMA_TRACE_LOCAL_SIZE);
+		      DMA_TRACE_LOCAL_SIZE, false);
 	if (!buf) {
 		trace_buffer_error("dma_trace_buffer_init() error: "
 				   "alloc failed");