diff --git a/vlib/os/os.c.v b/vlib/os/os.c.v
index 581c381f86..4416543016 100644
--- a/vlib/os/os.c.v
+++ b/vlib/os/os.c.v
@@ -744,11 +744,10 @@ pub fn is_link(path string) bool {
 }
 
 // chdir changes the current working directory to the new directory in `path`.
-pub fn chdir(path string) {
-	$if windows {
-		C._wchdir(path.to_wide())
-	} $else {
-		_ = C.chdir(&char(path.str))
+pub fn chdir(path string) ? {
+	ret := $if windows { C._wchdir(path.to_wide()) } $else { C.chdir(&char(path.str)) }
+	if ret == -1 {
+		return error_with_code(posix_get_error_msg(C.errno), C.errno)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/os/os_test.v b/vlib/os/os_test.v
index 7107a34f2b..88cdd584be 100644
--- a/vlib/os/os_test.v
+++ b/vlib/os/os_test.v
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fn testsuite_begin() {
 	os.rmdir_all(tfolder) or {}
 	assert !os.is_dir(tfolder)
 	os.mkdir_all(tfolder) or { panic(err) }
-	os.chdir(tfolder)
+	os.chdir(tfolder) or {}
 	assert os.is_dir(tfolder)
 	// println('args_at_start: $args_at_start')
 	assert args_at_start.len > 0
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fn testsuite_begin() {
 }
 
 fn testsuite_end() {
-	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup)
+	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup) or {}
 	os.rmdir_all(tfolder) or {}
 	assert !os.is_dir(tfolder)
 	// eprintln('testsuite_end  , tfolder = $tfolder removed.')
@@ -326,9 +326,9 @@ fn test_realpath_removes_dots() {
 fn test_realpath_absolutizes_existing_relative_paths() {
 	old_wd := os.getwd()
 	defer {
-		os.chdir(old_wd)
+		os.chdir(old_wd) or { panic(err) }
 	}
-	os.chdir(@VEXEROOT)
+	os.chdir(@VEXEROOT) or { panic(err) }
 	examples_folder := os.join_path('vlib', 'v', '..', '..', 'cmd', '.', '..', 'examples')
 	real_path_of_examples_folder := os.real_path(examples_folder)
 	assert os.is_abs_path(real_path_of_examples_folder)
diff --git a/vlib/szip/szip_test.v b/vlib/szip/szip_test.v
index a20f638569..e9d64128aa 100644
--- a/vlib/szip/szip_test.v
+++ b/vlib/szip/szip_test.v
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 fn test_szip_create_temp_files() ? {
-	os.chdir(os.temp_dir())
+	os.chdir(os.temp_dir()) or {}
 	os.rmdir_all(test_path) or {}
 	os.mkdir(test_path) ?
 	os.write_file(fpath1, 'file one') ?
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ fn test_reading_zipping_files() ? {
 		file_name_list << 'file_${i:02}.txt'
 	}
 
-	os.chdir(os.temp_dir())
+	os.chdir(os.temp_dir()) or {}
 	os.rmdir_all(test_path) or {}
 	os.mkdir(test_path) ?
 	for c, f_name in file_name_list {
diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/cc.v b/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
index 11ca40fea7..214f73bce9 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) rebuild_cached_module(vexe string, imp_path string) string {
 		// do run `v build-module x` always in main vfolder; x can be a relative path
 		pwd := os.getwd()
 		vroot := os.dir(vexe)
-		os.chdir(vroot)
+		os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 		boptions := v.pref.build_options.join(' ')
 		rebuild_cmd := '$vexe $boptions build-module $imp_path'
 		vcache.dlog('| Builder.' + @FN, 'vexe: $vexe | imp_path: $imp_path | rebuild_cmd: $rebuild_cmd')
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) rebuild_cached_module(vexe string, imp_path string) string {
 		rebuilded_o := v.pref.cache_manager.exists('.o', imp_path) or {
 			panic('could not rebuild cache module for $imp_path, error: $err.msg')
 		}
-		os.chdir(pwd)
+		os.chdir(pwd) or {}
 		return rebuilded_o
 	}
 	return res
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) cc() {
 			}
 		}
 		//
-		os.chdir(vdir)
+		os.chdir(vdir) or {}
 		tried_compilation_commands << cmd
 		v.show_cc(cmd, response_file, response_file_content)
 		// Run
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) cc() {
 		if v.pref.show_c_output {
 			v.show_c_compiler_output(res)
 		}
-		os.chdir(original_pwd)
+		os.chdir(original_pwd) or {}
 		vcache.dlog('| Builder.' + @FN, '>       v.pref.use_cache: $v.pref.use_cache | v.pref.retry_compilation: $v.pref.retry_compilation')
 		vcache.dlog('| Builder.' + @FN, '>      cmd res.exit_code: $res.exit_code | cmd: $cmd')
 		vcache.dlog('| Builder.' + @FN, '>  response_file_content:\n$response_file_content')
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) build_thirdparty_obj_file(path string, moduleflags []cflag.CF
 	//
 	// prepare for tcc, it needs relative paths to thirdparty/tcc to work:
 	current_folder := os.getwd()
-	os.chdir(os.dir(pref.vexe_path()))
+	os.chdir(os.dir(pref.vexe_path())) or {}
 	//
 	mut all_options := []string{}
 	all_options << v.pref.third_party_option
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ fn (mut v Builder) build_thirdparty_obj_file(path string, moduleflags []cflag.CF
 		println('>>> build_thirdparty_obj_files cmd: $cmd')
 	}
 	res := os.execute(cmd)
-	os.chdir(current_folder)
+	os.chdir(current_folder) or {}
 	if res.exit_code != 0 {
 		eprintln('failed thirdparty object build cmd:\n$cmd')
 		verror(res.output)
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/coutput_test.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/coutput_test.v
index 516dc374fd..b8e272961b 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/coutput_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/coutput_test.v
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const diff_cmd = diff.find_working_diff_command() or { '' }
 
 fn test_out_files() ? {
 	println(term.colorize(term.green, '> testing whether .out files match:'))
-	os.chdir(vroot)
+	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 	output_path := os.join_path(os.temp_dir(), 'coutput', 'out')
 	os.mkdir_all(output_path) ?
 	defer {
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ fn test_out_files() ? {
 
 fn test_c_must_have_files() ? {
 	println(term.colorize(term.green, '> testing whether `.c.must_have` files match:'))
-	os.chdir(vroot)
+	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 	output_path := os.join_path(os.temp_dir(), 'coutput', 'c_must_have')
 	os.mkdir_all(output_path) ?
 	defer {
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v
index 9da074d71d..2909cad522 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import v.pref
 import v.ast
 
 fn test_macho() {
-	os.chdir(os.temp_dir())
+	os.chdir(os.temp_dir()) or {}
 	mut g := native.Gen{
 		pref: &pref.Preferences{}
 		out_name: 'test.bin'
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
index 88178ce876..140dfd7bd7 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fn test_all() {
 	mut total_errors := 0
 	vexe := os.getenv('VEXE')
 	vroot := os.dir(vexe)
-	os.chdir(vroot)
+	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 	diff_cmd := diff.find_working_diff_command() or { '' }
 	dir := 'vlib/v/tests/inout'
 	files := os.ls(dir) or { panic(err) }
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/profile/profile_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/profile/profile_test.v
index f802c7bd5b..f8c99b45a2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/profile/profile_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/profile/profile_test.v
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ fn test_vexe_exists() {
 }
 
 fn test_v_profile_works() {
-	os.chdir(vroot)
+	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 	program_source := os.join_path(vroot, 'vlib/v/tests/profile/profile_test_1.v')
 	res := os.execute('"$vexe" -profile - run $program_source')
 	// eprintln('res: $res')
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v b/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
index 54376765fe..45a8f07400 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ pub fn new_options() RunnerOptions {
 	if os.args.len > 1 {
 		files = os.args[1..]
 	} else {
-		os.chdir(os.dir(vexec))
+		os.chdir(os.dir(vexec)) or {}
 		wd = os.getwd()
 		files = os.walk_ext('.', '.repl')
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/vmod_parser_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/vmod_parser_test.v
index 8d75f1b8e9..10f48141c8 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/vmod_parser_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/vmod_parser_test.v
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import v.vmod
 import os
 
 fn test_from_file() {
-	os.chdir(os.dir(os.getenv('VEXE')))
+	os.chdir(os.dir(os.getenv('VEXE'))) or {}
 	data := vmod.from_file('./v.mod') or { panic(err) }
 	assert data.name == 'V'
 	assert data.description == 'The V programming language.'
diff --git a/vlib/v/vcache/vcache_test.v b/vlib/v/vcache/vcache_test.v
index 23ecda9a5d..31ecfbd798 100644
--- a/vlib/v/vcache/vcache_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/vcache/vcache_test.v
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ fn test_readme_exists_and_is_readable() {
 }
 
 fn testsuite_end() {
-	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup)
+	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup) or {}
 	os.rmdir_all(vcache_folder) or {}
 	assert !os.is_dir(vcache_folder)
 }
diff --git a/vlib/vweb/tests/vweb_test.v b/vlib/vweb/tests/vweb_test.v
index b10dad113c..02908f4199 100644
--- a/vlib/vweb/tests/vweb_test.v
+++ b/vlib/vweb/tests/vweb_test.v
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const (
 
 // setup of vweb webserver
 fn testsuite_begin() {
-	os.chdir(vroot)
+	os.chdir(vroot) or {}
 	if os.exists(serverexe) {
 		os.rm(serverexe) or {}
 	}