diff --git a/pkg/util/log/flags.go b/pkg/util/log/flags.go
index 1b0d217776ac..d8cd094bcba0 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/flags.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/flags.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/fs"
 	"math"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/envutil"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log/channel"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log/severity"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/syncutil"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/errors"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/redact"
 )
 
 type config struct {
@@ -445,7 +447,8 @@ func (l *sinkInfo) applyConfig(c logconfig.CommonSinkConfig) error {
 	l.criticality = *c.Criticality
 	f, ok := formatters[*c.Format]
 	if !ok {
-		return errors.Newf("unknown format: %q", *c.Format)
+		return errors.WithHintf(errors.Newf("unknown format: %q", *c.Format),
+			"Supported formats: %s.", redact.Safe(strings.Join(formatNames, ", ")))
 	}
 	l.formatter = f()
 	for k, v := range c.FormatOptions {
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/formats.go b/pkg/util/log/formats.go
index 350985762b12..6d05e892fad9 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/formats.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/formats.go
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ var formatParsers = map[string]string{
 var formatters = func() map[string]func() logFormatter {
 	m := make(map[string]func() logFormatter)
 	r := func(f func() logFormatter) {
-		m[f().formatterName()] = f
+		name := f().formatterName()
+		if _, ok := m[name]; ok {
+			panic("duplicate formatter name: " + name)
+		}
+		m[name] = f
 	}
 	r(func() logFormatter {
 		return &formatCrdbV1{showCounter: false, colorProfile: ttycolor.StderrProfile, colorProfileName: "auto"}
@@ -75,6 +79,14 @@ var formatters = func() map[string]func() logFormatter {
 	return m
 }()
 
+var formatNames = func() (res []string) {
+	for name := range formatters {
+		res = append(res, name)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(res)
+	return res
+}()
+
 // GetFormatterDocs returns the embedded documentation for all the
 // supported formats.
 func GetFormatterDocs() map[string]string {
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go b/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
index dc4895602049..9a19413bed17 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -34,13 +33,6 @@ func TestFormatRedaction(t *testing.T) {
 	sc := ScopeWithoutShowLogs(t)
 	defer sc.Close(t)
 
-	// Make the test below deterministic.
-	formatNames := make([]string, 0, len(formatters))
-	for n := range formatters {
-		formatNames = append(formatNames, n)
-	}
-	sort.Strings(formatNames)
-
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = logtags.AddTag(ctx, "a", "secret1")
 	ctx = logtags.AddTag(ctx, "b", redact.Sprintf("safe1 %s", "secret2"))