diff --git a/include/SDL3/SDL_loadso.h b/include/SDL3/SDL_loadso.h
index 51d0d8811bc9a..440fad7002af1 100644
--- a/include/SDL3/SDL_loadso.h
+++ b/include/SDL3/SDL_loadso.h
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ extern SDL_DECLSPEC SDL_FunctionPointer SDLCALL SDL_LoadFunction(SDL_SharedObjec
  * SDL_LoadFunction() will no longer be valid.
  *
  * \param handle a valid shared object handle returned by SDL_LoadObject().
+ * \returns a boolean value, where true indicates success and false
+ *          indicates failure; call SDL_GetError() for more information.
  *
  * \threadsafety It is safe to call this function from any thread.
  *
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ extern SDL_DECLSPEC SDL_FunctionPointer SDLCALL SDL_LoadFunction(SDL_SharedObjec
  *
  * \sa SDL_LoadObject
  */
-extern SDL_DECLSPEC void SDLCALL SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle);
+extern SDL_DECLSPEC bool SDLCALL SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle);
 
 /* Ends C function definitions when using C++ */
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/loadso/dlopen/SDL_sysloadso.c b/src/loadso/dlopen/SDL_sysloadso.c
index 7d223ce75e709..9932284c0356e 100644
--- a/src/loadso/dlopen/SDL_sysloadso.c
+++ b/src/loadso/dlopen/SDL_sysloadso.c
@@ -72,11 +72,17 @@ SDL_FunctionPointer SDL_LoadFunction(SDL_SharedObject *handle, const char *name)
     return symbol;
 }
 
-void SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
+bool SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
 {
-    if (handle) {
-        dlclose(handle);
+    if (!handle) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    int error_code = dlclose(handle);
+    if (error_code) {
+        SDL_SetError("Failed unloading library. Error code: %d. Message: %s
+                     error_code, (const char *)dlerror());
     }
+    return error_code == 0;
 }
 
 #endif // SDL_LOADSO_DLOPEN
diff --git a/src/loadso/dummy/SDL_sysloadso.c b/src/loadso/dummy/SDL_sysloadso.c
index ff7db420154af..b659af3ede019 100644
--- a/src/loadso/dummy/SDL_sysloadso.c
+++ b/src/loadso/dummy/SDL_sysloadso.c
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ SDL_FunctionPointer SDL_LoadFunction(SDL_SharedObject *handle, const char *name)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
+bool SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
 {
-    // no-op.
+    return true;
 }
 
 #endif // SDL_LOADSO_DUMMY
diff --git a/src/loadso/windows/SDL_sysloadso.c b/src/loadso/windows/SDL_sysloadso.c
index d2c26664a7973..c24112446028b 100644
--- a/src/loadso/windows/SDL_sysloadso.c
+++ b/src/loadso/windows/SDL_sysloadso.c
@@ -58,11 +58,18 @@ SDL_FunctionPointer SDL_LoadFunction(SDL_SharedObject *handle, const char *name)
     return symbol;
 }
 
-void SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
+bool SDL_UnloadObject(SDL_SharedObject *handle)
 {
-    if (handle) {
-        FreeLibrary((HMODULE)handle);
+    if (!handle) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    bool success = FreeLibrary((HMODULE)handle);
+    if (!success) {
+        char errbuf[512];
+        SDL_snprintf(errbuf, sizeof (errbuf), "Failed unloading library");
+        WIN_SetError(errbuf);
     }
+    return success;
 }
 
 #endif // SDL_LOADSO_WINDOWS
diff --git a/test/testloadso.c b/test/testloadso.c
index 6982ecae98060..8516a0d78b018 100644
--- a/test/testloadso.c
+++ b/test/testloadso.c
@@ -104,7 +104,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 SDL_Log("Unloading library...");
             }
         }
-        SDL_UnloadObject(lib);
+        bool close_success = SDL_UnloadObject(lib);
+        if (!close_success) {
+            SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "SDL_UnloadObject('%s') failed: %s",
+                         libname, SDL_GetError());
+        }
     }
     SDL_Quit();
     SDLTest_CommonDestroyState(state);