diff --git a/basis/io/directories/windows/windows.factor b/basis/io/directories/windows/windows.factor
index 76cc8f33f0..ec76156775 100644
--- a/basis/io/directories/windows/windows.factor
+++ b/basis/io/directories/windows/windows.factor
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ M: windows delete-directory ( path -- )
     RemoveDirectory win32-error=0/f ;
 
 : find-first-file ( path WIN32_FIND_DATA -- WIN32_FIND_DATA HANDLE )
-    [ nip ] [ FindFirstFile ] 2bi check-invalid-handle ;
+    [ nip ] [ FindFirstFile ] 2bi
+    [ INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE = [ win32-error-string throw ] when ] keep ;
 
 : find-next-file ( HANDLE WIN32_FIND_DATA -- WIN32_FIND_DATA/f )
     [ nip ] [ FindNextFile ] 2bi 0 = [
diff --git a/basis/io/files/info/windows/windows.factor b/basis/io/files/info/windows/windows.factor
index 90d17a03d5..71f8e06f69 100644
--- a/basis/io/files/info/windows/windows.factor
+++ b/basis/io/files/info/windows/windows.factor
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ TUPLE: windows-file-info < file-info-tuple attributes ;
 
 : find-first-file-stat ( path -- WIN32_FIND_DATA )
     WIN32_FIND_DATA <struct> [
-        FindFirstFile check-invalid-handle
+        FindFirstFile
+        [ INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE = [ win32-error ] when ] keep
         FindClose win32-error=0/f
     ] keep ;