diff --git a/src/native/common/extal.h b/src/native/common/extal.h
index 3c9a7711..13b30767 100644
--- a/src/native/common/extal.h
+++ b/src/native/common/extal.h
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ void extal_InitializeClass(JNIEnv *env, jclass clazz, int num_functions, JavaMet
 
 /* Platform dependent functions */
 void *NativeGetFunctionPointer(const char *function);
-bool tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path);
+void tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path);
 void UnLoadOpenAL();
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/native/common/org_lwjgl_openal_AL.c b/src/native/common/org_lwjgl_openal_AL.c
index 793a9565..3db426e8 100644
--- a/src/native/common/org_lwjgl_openal_AL.c
+++ b/src/native/common/org_lwjgl_openal_AL.c
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@
 #include "extal.h"
 
 JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_org_lwjgl_openal_AL_nCreate(JNIEnv *env, jclass clazz, jstring oalPath) {
-	if (!tryLoadLibrary(env, oalPath)) {
-		throwException(env, "Could not load OpenAL library");
-	}
+	tryLoadLibrary(env, oalPath);
 }
 
 JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_org_lwjgl_openal_AL_nDestroy(JNIEnv *env, jclass clazz) {
diff --git a/src/native/linux/linux_al.c b/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
index 9c50bd84..d0d412f7 100644
--- a/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
+++ b/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
@@ -45,15 +45,16 @@ void *NativeGetFunctionPointer(const char *function) {
 	return dlsym(handleOAL, function);
 }
 
-bool tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
+void tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
 	char *path_str = GetStringNativeChars(env, path);
 	printfDebugJava(env, "Testing '%s'", path_str);
+	free(path_str);
 	handleOAL = dlopen(path_str, RTLD_LAZY);
 	if (handleOAL != NULL) {
 		printfDebugJava(env, "Found OpenAL at '%s'", path_str);
+	} else {
+		throwException(env, "Could not load OpenAL library");
 	}
-	free(path_str);
-	return handleOAL != NULL;
 }
 
 void UnLoadOpenAL() {
diff --git a/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c b/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
index 51364384..316d9464 100644
--- a/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
+++ b/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
@@ -89,15 +89,16 @@ static CFBundleRef tryLoadFramework(JNIEnv *env) {
 	return openal_bundle;
 }
 
-bool tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
+void tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
 	const char *path_str = (*env)->GetStringUTFChars(env, path, NULL);
 	printfDebugJava(env, "Testing '%s'", path_str);
 	handleOAL = NSAddImage(path_str, NSADDIMAGE_OPTION_RETURN_ON_ERROR);
+	(*env)->ReleaseStringUTFChars(env, path, path_str);
 	if (handleOAL != NULL) {
 		printfDebugJava(env, "Found OpenAL at '%s'", path_str);
+	} else {
+		throwException(env, "Could not load OpenAL library");
 	}
-	(*env)->ReleaseStringUTFChars(env, path, path_str);
-	return handleOAL != NULL;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/native/windows/windows_al.c b/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
index 42717c08..c5ea58dc 100644
--- a/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
+++ b/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
@@ -51,15 +51,16 @@ void *NativeGetFunctionPointer(const char *function) {
 	return GetProcAddress(handleOAL, function);
 }
 
-bool tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
+void tryLoadLibrary(JNIEnv *env, jstring path) {
 	char *path_str = GetStringNativeChars(env, path);
 	printfDebugJava(env, "Testing '%s'", path_str);
 	handleOAL = LoadLibrary(path_str);
+	free(path_str);
 	if (handleOAL != NULL) {
 		printfDebugJava(env, "Found OpenAL at '%s'", path_str);
+	} else {
+		throwException(env, "Could not load OpenAL library (%d)", GetLastError());
 	}
-	free(path_str);
-	return handleOAL != NULL;
 }
 
 /**