diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 65efb9b..011a51f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,27 +10,28 @@ Provided there is a function `inc` that increments a number in a library
 follows:
 
 ```clojure
-(load "https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.4")
+(load "https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.5")
 
 (defn main []
   (println*
     &(=> (DynLib.open "libt.so")
-         (Maybe.to-result @"Couldn’t open libt.so")
          (Result.and-then
-           (fn [lib] (Maybe.to-result (DynLib.get lib "inc") @"Couldn’t load symbol inc")))
+           (fn [lib] (DynLib.get lib "inc")))
          (Result.map (fn [f] (Int.str (f 1)))))))
 ```
 
-We’re using `Result` here to get informative error messages, but this is all
-optional. If you want to throw safety out of the window, something like this
-could also work—though I wholeheartedly advise against it:
+`open` and `get` return `(Result a String)`, so the error branch already
+carries the real `dlerror()` message—no need to wrap in `Maybe.to-result`.
+
+If you want to throw safety out of the window, something like this could also
+work—though I wholeheartedly advise against it:
 
 ```clojure
-(load "https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.3")
+(load "https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.5")
 
 (defn main []
-  (let [lib (Maybe.unsafe-from (DynLib.open "libt.so"))
-        f (Maybe.unsafe-from (DynLib.get lib "inc"))]
+  (let [lib (Result.unsafe-from-success (DynLib.open "libt.so"))
+        f (Result.unsafe-from-success (DynLib.get lib "inc"))]
     (println* &(Int.str (f 1)))))
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/DynLib.html b/docs/DynLib.html
index b2b0924..84c5a41 100644
--- a/docs/DynLib.html
+++ b/docs/DynLib.html
@@ -31,15 +31,13 @@ <h1>
             <div class="module-description">
                 <p>DynLib is a module for loading shared libraries at runtime. It
 strives to make code loading and calling dynamically easy.</p>
-<pre><code>(load &quot;https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.4&quot;)
+<pre><code>(load &quot;https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.5&quot;)
 
 (defn main []
   (println*
     &amp;(=&gt; (DynLib.open &quot;libt.so&quot;)
-         (Maybe.to-result @&quot;Couldn’t open libt.so&quot;)
          (Result.and-then
-           (fn [lib] (Maybe.to-result (DynLib.get lib &quot;inc&quot;)
-                              @&quot;Couldn’t load symbol inc&quot;)))
+           (fn [lib] (DynLib.get lib &quot;inc&quot;)))
          (Result.map (fn [f] (Int.str (f 1)))))))
 </code></pre>
 
@@ -75,13 +73,14 @@ <h3 id="get">
                     defn
                 </div>
                 <p class="sig">
-                    (Fn [Lib, (Ref String a)] (Maybe b))
+                    (Fn [Lib, (Ref String a)] (Result b String))
                 </p>
                 <pre class="args">
                     (get lib fname)
                 </pre>
                 <p class="doc">
-                    <p>gets a function named <code>fname</code> from a shared library <code>lib</code>.</p>
+                    <p>gets a function named <code>fname</code> from a shared library <code>lib</code>. Returns
+a <code>Result</code> with the function on success, or the <code>dlerror</code> message on failure.</p>
 
                 </p>
             </div>
@@ -95,14 +94,15 @@ <h3 id="get-from-module">
                     defn
                 </div>
                 <p class="sig">
-                    (Fn [Lib, (Ref String a), b] (Maybe c))
+                    (Fn [Lib, (Ref String a), b] (Result c String))
                 </p>
                 <pre class="args">
                     (get-from-module lib md fname)
                 </pre>
                 <p class="doc">
                     <p>gets a function named <code>fname</code> from a Carp module <code>md</code> from inside
-a shared library <code>lib</code>.</p>
+a shared library <code>lib</code>. Returns a <code>Result</code> with the function on success, or the
+<code>dlerror</code> message on failure.</p>
 
                 </p>
             </div>
@@ -116,13 +116,14 @@ <h3 id="open">
                     defn
                 </div>
                 <p class="sig">
-                    (Fn [(Ref String a)] (Maybe Lib))
+                    (Fn [(Ref String a)] (Result Lib String))
                 </p>
                 <pre class="args">
                     (open lib)
                 </pre>
                 <p class="doc">
-                    <p>opens a shared library <code>lib</code>.</p>
+                    <p>opens a shared library <code>lib</code>. Returns a <code>Result</code> with the library
+handle on success, or the <code>dlerror</code> message on failure.</p>
 
                 </p>
             </div>
diff --git a/dynlib.carp b/dynlib.carp
index e10c715..24b9abf 100644
--- a/dynlib.carp
+++ b/dynlib.carp
@@ -5,15 +5,13 @@
 strives to make code loading and calling dynamically easy.
 
 ```
-(load \"https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.4\")
+(load \"https://github.com/carpentry-org/dynlib@0.0.5\")
 
 (defn main []
   (println*
     &(=> (DynLib.open \"libt.so\")
-         (Maybe.to-result @\"Couldn’t open libt.so\")
          (Result.and-then
-           (fn [lib] (Maybe.to-result (DynLib.get lib \"inc\")
-                              @\"Couldn’t load symbol inc\")))
+           (fn [lib] (DynLib.get lib \"inc\")))
          (Result.map (fn [f] (Int.str (f 1)))))))
 ```")
 (defmodule DynLib
@@ -32,28 +30,37 @@ strives to make code loading and calling dynamically easy.
   (register dlsym (Fn [Lib (Ptr CChar)] (Ref a)) "DynLib_dlsym")
   (hidden dlclose)
   (register dlclose (Fn [Lib] Int) "dlclose")
-  (hidden dlerror)
-  (register dlerror (Fn [] String) "dlerror")
+  (private dlerror-)
+  (hidden dlerror-)
+  (register dlerror- (Fn [] (Ptr CChar)) "dlerror")
   (hidden valid?)
   (register valid? (Fn [a] Bool) "DynLib_isvalid")
+  (private dlerror)
+  (hidden dlerror)
+  (defn dlerror []
+    (let [err (dlerror-)]
+      (if (valid? err) (String.from-cstr err) @"unknown error")))
 
-  (doc open "opens a shared library `lib`.")
+  (doc open "opens a shared library `lib`. Returns a `Result` with the library
+handle on success, or the `dlerror` message on failure.")
   (defn open [lib]
     (let [l (dlopen (cstr lib) lazy)]
-      (if (valid? l) (Maybe.Just l) (Maybe.Nothing))))
+      (if (valid? l) (Result.Success l) (Result.Error (dlerror)))))
 
-  (doc get "gets a function named `fname` from a shared library `lib`.")
+  (doc get "gets a function named `fname` from a shared library `lib`. Returns
+a `Result` with the function on success, or the `dlerror` message on failure.")
   (defn get [lib fname]
     (let [f (dlsym lib (cstr fname))]
-      (if (valid? f) (Maybe.Just @f) (Maybe.Nothing))))
+      (if (valid? f) (Result.Success @f) (Result.Error (dlerror)))))
 
   (doc get-from-module
     "gets a function named `fname` from a Carp module `md` from inside
-a shared library `lib`.")
+a shared library `lib`. Returns a `Result` with the function on success, or the
+`dlerror` message on failure.")
   (defn get-from-module [lib md fname]
     (let [fqn (fmt "%s_%s" &(Pattern.substitute #"\." md "_" -1) fname)
           f (dlsym lib (cstr &fqn))]
-      (if (valid? f) (Maybe.Just @f) (Maybe.Nothing))))
+      (if (valid? f) (Result.Success @f) (Result.Error (dlerror)))))
 
   (doc close "closes a library `lib`. Either returns nothing or, if an error
 occurs, it returns the error message.")
@@ -63,7 +70,7 @@ occurs, it returns the error message.")
   (defmacro rebind [lib s]
     (list 'match
           (list 'DynLib.get lib (str s))
-          '(Maybe.Nothing)
-          (list 'IO.errorln (String.join ["Failed to find symbol " (str s)]))
-          '(Maybe.Just s)
+          '(Result.Error e)
+          (list 'IO.errorln 'e)
+          '(Result.Success s)
           (list set! s 's))))
diff --git a/examples/c_and_carp/example.carp b/examples/c_and_carp/example.carp
index f7d0555..7387604 100644
--- a/examples/c_and_carp/example.carp
+++ b/examples/c_and_carp/example.carp
@@ -3,6 +3,5 @@
 (defn main []
   (println*
     &(=> (DynLib.open "libt.so")
-         (Maybe.to-result @"Couldn’t open libt.so")
-         (Result.and-then &(fn [lib] (Maybe.to-result (DynLib.get lib "add") @"Couldn’t load symbol")))
+         (Result.and-then &(fn [lib] (DynLib.get lib "add")))
          (Result.map &(fn [f] (Int.str (f 1 2)))))))
diff --git a/examples/carp_and_carp/example.carp b/examples/carp_and_carp/example.carp
index 8c8d13b..2469885 100644
--- a/examples/carp_and_carp/example.carp
+++ b/examples/carp_and_carp/example.carp
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 (defn main []
   (println*
     &(=> (DynLib.open "libt.so")
-         (Maybe.to-result @"Couldn’t open libt.so")
          (Result.and-then
-           &(fn [lib]
-             (Maybe.to-result (DynLib.get-from-module lib "Shared" "add") @"Couldn’t load symbol")))
+           &(fn [lib] (DynLib.get-from-module lib "Shared" "add")))
          (Result.map &(fn [f] (Int.str (f 1 2)))))))