diff --git a/examples/dynamic_library_loading/use.v b/examples/dynamic_library_loading/use.v
index 3d9f456fed..71a0099f75 100644
--- a/examples/dynamic_library_loading/use.v
+++ b/examples/dynamic_library_loading/use.v
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ type FNAdder = fn (int, int) int
 
 fn main() {
 	library_file_path := os.join_path(os.getwd(), dl.get_libname('library'))
-	handle := dl.open(library_file_path, dl.rtld_lazy)
+	handle := dl.open_opt(library_file_path, dl.rtld_lazy) ?
 	eprintln('handle: ${ptr_str(handle)}')
 	mut f := FNAdder(0)
-	f = dl.sym(handle, 'add_1')
+	f = dl.sym_opt(handle, 'add_1') ?
 	eprintln('f: ${ptr_str(f)}')
 	res := f(1, 2)
 	eprintln('res: $res')
diff --git a/vlib/dl/dl.v b/vlib/dl/dl.v
index 9d9fd1ab8e..04ad16ba48 100644
--- a/vlib/dl/dl.v
+++ b/vlib/dl/dl.v
@@ -24,3 +24,25 @@ pub fn get_shared_library_extension() string {
 pub fn get_libname(libname string) string {
 	return '$libname$dl.dl_ext'
 }
+
+// open_opt - loads the dynamic shared object.
+// Unlike open, open_opt return an option.
+pub fn open_opt(filename string, flags int) ?voidptr {
+	shared_object_handle := open(filename, flags)
+	if shared_object_handle == 0 {
+		e := dlerror()
+		return error(e)
+	}
+	return shared_object_handle
+}
+
+// sym_opt returns the address of a symbol in a given shared object, if found.
+// Unlike sym, sym_opt returns an option.
+pub fn sym_opt(shared_object_handle voidptr, symbol string) ?voidptr {
+	sym_handle := sym(shared_object_handle, symbol)
+	if sym_handle == 0 {
+		e := dlerror()
+		return error(e)
+	}
+	return sym_handle
+}
diff --git a/vlib/dl/dl_nix.c.v b/vlib/dl/dl_nix.c.v
index 0c55940f1f..56f128dbbe 100644
--- a/vlib/dl/dl_nix.c.v
+++ b/vlib/dl/dl_nix.c.v
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ fn C.dlsym(handle voidptr, symbol charptr) voidptr
 
 fn C.dlclose(handle voidptr) int
 
+fn C.dlerror() charptr
+
 // open loads the dynamic shared object.
 pub fn open(filename string, flags int) voidptr {
 	return C.dlopen(charptr(filename.str), flags)
@@ -27,3 +29,11 @@ pub fn close(handle voidptr) bool {
 pub fn sym(handle voidptr, symbol string) voidptr {
 	return C.dlsym(handle, charptr(symbol.str))
 }
+
+// dlerror provides a text error diagnostic message for functions in `dl`
+// it returns a human-readable string, describing the most recent error 
+// that occurred from a call to one of the `dl` functions, since the last
+// call to dlerror()
+pub fn dlerror() string {
+	return unsafe { cstring_to_vstring(byteptr(C.dlerror())) }
+}
diff --git a/vlib/dl/dl_windows.c.v b/vlib/dl/dl_windows.c.v
index e057f186ae..b33a5970f1 100644
--- a/vlib/dl/dl_windows.c.v
+++ b/vlib/dl/dl_windows.c.v
@@ -26,3 +26,14 @@ pub fn close(handle voidptr) bool {
 pub fn sym(handle voidptr, symbol string) voidptr {
 	return C.GetProcAddress(handle, symbol.str)
 }
+
+// dlerror provides a text error diagnostic message for functions in `dl`
+// it returns a human-readable string, describing the most recent error 
+// that occurred from a call to one of the `dl` functions, since the last
+// call to dlerror()
+pub fn dlerror() string {
+	// https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/errhandlingapi/nf-errhandlingapi-getlasterror
+	// Unlike dlerror(), GetLastError returns just an error code, that is function specific.
+	cerr := int(C.GetLastError())
+	return 'error code $cerr'
+}