diff --git a/src/native/linux/linux_al.c b/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
index d0d412f7..b114af09 100644
--- a/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
+++ b/src/native/linux/linux_al.c
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ void *NativeGetFunctionPointer(const char *function) {
 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);
 }
 
 void UnLoadOpenAL() {
diff --git a/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c b/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
index 316d9464..11f11a72 100644
--- a/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
+++ b/src/native/macosx/macosx_al.c
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ 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);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/native/windows/windows_al.c b/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
index c5ea58dc..8cf0ffad 100644
--- a/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
+++ b/src/native/windows/windows_al.c
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ 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);
 }
 
 /**