diff --git a/ggml-metal.m b/ggml-metal.m
index 4b3eb49..60fef1a 100644
--- a/ggml-metal.m
+++ b/ggml-metal.m
@@ -277,6 +277,10 @@ static struct ggml_metal_context * ggml_metal_init(int n_cb) {
             NSURL * libURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:libPath];
             GGML_METAL_LOG_INFO("%s: loading '%s'\n", __func__, [libPath UTF8String]);
             ctx->library = [ctx->device newLibraryWithURL:libURL error:&error];
+            if (error) {
+                GGML_METAL_LOG_ERROR("%s: error: %s\n", __func__, [[error description] UTF8String]);
+                return NULL;
+            }
         } else {
             GGML_METAL_LOG_INFO("%s: default.metallib not found, loading from source\n", __func__);
 
@@ -315,13 +319,12 @@ static struct ggml_metal_context * ggml_metal_init(int n_cb) {
                 //[options setFastMathEnabled:false];
 
                 ctx->library = [ctx->device newLibraryWithSource:src options:options error:&error];
+                if (error) {
+                    GGML_METAL_LOG_ERROR("%s: error: %s\n", __func__, [[error description] UTF8String]);
+                    return NULL;
+                }
             }
         }
-
-        if (error) {
-            GGML_METAL_LOG_ERROR("%s: error: %s\n", __func__, [[error description] UTF8String]);
-            return NULL;
-        }
     }
 
     // print MTL GPU family: