diff --git a/src/emu/devfind.c b/src/emu/devfind.c
index a552ad00321..7da4d211dc9 100644
--- a/src/emu/devfind.c
+++ b/src/emu/devfind.c
@@ -110,3 +110,16 @@ bool finder_base::report_missing(bool found, const char *objname, bool required)
 		osd_printf_verbose("Optional %s '%s' not found\n", objname, m_tag);
 	return !required;
 }
+
+
+void finder_base::printf_warning(const char *format, ...)
+{
+    va_list argptr;
+    char buffer[1024];
+
+    /* do the output */
+    va_start(argptr, format);
+    vsnprintf(buffer, 1024, format, argptr);
+    osd_printf_warning("%s", buffer);
+    va_end(argptr);
+}
diff --git a/src/emu/devfind.h b/src/emu/devfind.h
index 04dac77560a..d53b40ce922 100644
--- a/src/emu/devfind.h
+++ b/src/emu/devfind.h
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ protected:
 	void *find_memshare(UINT8 width, size_t &bytes, bool required);
 	bool report_missing(bool found, const char *objname, bool required);
 
+    void printf_warning(const char *format, ...) ATTR_PRINTF(2,3);
+
 	// internal state
 	finder_base *m_next;
 	device_t &m_base;
@@ -113,8 +115,7 @@ public:
 		this->m_target = dynamic_cast<_DeviceClass *>(device);
 		if (device != NULL && this->m_target == NULL)
 		{
-			void osd_printf_warning(const char *format, ...) ATTR_PRINTF(1,2);
-			osd_printf_warning("Device '%s' found but is of incorrect type (actual type is %s)\n", this->m_tag, device->name());
+			this->printf_warning("Device '%s' found but is of incorrect type (actual type is %s)\n", this->m_tag, device->name());
 		}
 		return this->report_missing(this->m_target != NULL, "device", _Required);
 	}