diff --git a/basis/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor b/basis/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
index c807b84c6d..7d32ba1422 100644
--- a/basis/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
+++ b/basis/bootstrap/compiler/compiler.factor
@@ -107,16 +107,21 @@ gc
 
     "." write flush
 
-    {
-        malloc calloc free memcpy
-    } compile-unoptimized
-
     os windows? [
         "GetLastError" "windows.kernel32" lookup
         "FormatMessageW" "windows.kernel32" lookup
         2array compile-unoptimized
     ] when
 
+    os unix? [
+        "(dlerror)" "alien.libraries.unix" lookup
+        1array compile-unoptimized
+    ] when
+
+    {
+        malloc calloc free memcpy
+    } compile-unoptimized
+
     "." write flush
 
     vocabs [ words compile-unoptimized "." write flush ] each