diff --git a/runtime/src/ompt-general.cpp b/runtime/src/ompt-general.cpp
index 89cd23c..c4a9be8 100644
--- a/runtime/src/ompt-general.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/ompt-general.cpp
@@ -346,9 +346,16 @@
         OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_CONTINUED_PRINT("Success. \n");
         OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_PRINT("Searching for ompt_start_tool in %s... ",
                                 fname);
+        dlerror(); // Clear any existing error
         start_tool = (ompt_start_tool_t)dlsym(h, "ompt_start_tool");
         if (!start_tool) {
-          OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_CONTINUED_PRINT("Failed: %s\n", dlerror());
+          char *error = dlerror();
+          if (error != NULL) {
+            OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_CONTINUED_PRINT("Failed: %s\n", error);
+          } else {
+            OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_CONTINUED_PRINT("Failed: %s\n",
+                                              "ompt_start_tool = NULL");
+          }
         } else
 #elif KMP_OS_WINDOWS
       OMPT_VERBOSE_INIT_PRINT("Opening %s... ", fname);