diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index 9bcae9a79d..ae9df41c16 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -537,12 +537,9 @@ Java_java_lang_Runtime_load(Thread* t, jclass, jstring name, jboolean mapName)
     }
   }
 
-  System::Library* lib;
-  if (LIKELY(t->m->system->success
-             (t->m->system->load(&lib, n, mapName, t->m->libraries))))
+  if (UNLIKELY(not t->m->system->success
+               (t->m->system->load(&(t->m->libraries), n, mapName))))
   {
-    t->m->libraries = lib;
-  } else {
     object message = makeString(t, "library not found: %s", n);
     t->exception = makeUnsatisfiedLinkError(t, message);
   }
diff --git a/src/finder.cpp b/src/finder.cpp
index 753e06bd33..db200823ef 100644
--- a/src/finder.cpp
+++ b/src/finder.cpp
@@ -400,8 +400,8 @@ class BuiltinElement: public JarElement {
 
   virtual void init() {
     if (index == 0) {
-      System::Library* library;
-      if (s->success(s->load(&library, 0, false, 0))) {
+      System::Library* library = 0;
+      if (s->success(s->load(&library, 0, false))) {
         void* p = library->resolve(name);
         if (p) {
           uint8_t* (*function)(unsigned*);
diff --git a/src/machine.cpp b/src/machine.cpp
index 57fced2806..96e9cbadfe 100644
--- a/src/machine.cpp
+++ b/src/machine.cpp
@@ -1812,7 +1812,7 @@ Machine::Machine(System* system, Heap* heap, Finder* finder,
       not system->success(system->make(&heapLock)) or
       not system->success(system->make(&classLock)) or
       not system->success(system->make(&referenceLock)) or
-      not system->success(system->load(&libraries, 0, false, 0)))
+      not system->success(system->load(&libraries, 0, false)))
   {
     system->abort();
   }
diff --git a/src/posix.cpp b/src/posix.cpp
index 0738a769e3..cefdc5cb88 100644
--- a/src/posix.cpp
+++ b/src/posix.cpp
@@ -447,13 +447,13 @@ class MySystem: public System {
   class Library: public System::Library {
    public:
     Library(System* s, void* p, const char* name, unsigned nameLength,
-            bool mapName, System::Library* next):
+            bool mapName):
       s(s),
       p(p),
       name_(name),
       nameLength(nameLength),
       mapName_(mapName),
-      next_(next)
+      next_(0)
     { }
 
     virtual void* resolve(const char* function) {
@@ -639,8 +639,7 @@ class MySystem: public System {
 
   virtual Status load(System::Library** lib,
                       const char* name,
-                      bool mapName,
-                      System::Library* next)
+                      bool mapName)
   {
     void* p;
     unsigned nameLength = (name ? strlen(name) : 0);
@@ -666,8 +665,14 @@ class MySystem: public System {
         n = 0;
       }
 
-      *lib = new (allocate(this, sizeof(Library)))
-        Library(this, p, n, nameLength, mapName, next);
+      Library* newLib = new (allocate(this, sizeof(Library)))
+        Library(this, p, n, nameLength, mapName);
+
+      if (*lib) {
+        static_cast<Library*>(*lib)->next_ = newLib;
+      }
+
+      *lib = newLib;
       return 0;
     } else {
 //       fprintf(stderr, "dlerror: %s\n", dlerror());
diff --git a/src/system.h b/src/system.h
index 9d19ae57a9..ad1a7d9e28 100644
--- a/src/system.h
+++ b/src/system.h
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ class System {
                         unsigned returnType) = 0;
   virtual Status map(Region**, const char* name) = 0;
   virtual FileType identify(const char* name) = 0;
-  virtual Status load(Library**, const char* name, bool mapName, Library* next)
-  = 0;
+  virtual Status load(Library**, const char* name, bool mapName) = 0;
   virtual char pathSeparator() = 0;
   virtual int64_t now() = 0;
   virtual void exit(int code) = 0;
diff --git a/src/windows.cpp b/src/windows.cpp
index b545a809dd..c713634689 100644
--- a/src/windows.cpp
+++ b/src/windows.cpp
@@ -606,8 +606,7 @@ class MySystem: public System {
 
   virtual Status load(System::Library** lib,
                       const char* name,
-                      bool mapName,
-                      System::Library* next)
+                      bool mapName)
   {
     HMODULE handle;
     unsigned nameLength = (name ? strlen(name) : 0);
@@ -635,8 +634,14 @@ class MySystem: public System {
         n = 0;
       }
 
-      *lib = new (allocate(this, sizeof(Library)))
-        Library(this, handle, n, mapName, nameLength, next);
+      Library* newLib = new (allocate(this, sizeof(Library)))
+        Library(this, p, n, nameLength, mapName);
+
+      if (*lib) {
+        static_cast<Library*>(*lib)->next = newLib;
+      }
+
+      *lib = newLib;
       return 0;
     } else {
       return 1;