diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/LibMAME.cs b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/LibMAME.cs
index 9cef767549..f60dc8f33f 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/LibMAME.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/LibMAME.cs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Arcades.MAME
 {
 	public static class LibMAME
 	{
-		private const string dll = "libmamearcade64.dll"; // libmamearcade64.dll libpacmansh64d.dll
+		internal const string dll = "libmamearcade64.dll"; // libmamearcade64.dll libpacmansh64d.dll
 		private const CallingConvention cc = CallingConvention.Cdecl;
 
 		public enum OutputChannel
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/MAME.cs b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/MAME.cs
index a0dc3ee631..60db8439ab 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/MAME.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Arcades/MAME/MAME.cs
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Arcades.MAME
 	{
 		public MAME(string dir, string file, MAME.SyncSettings syncSettings, out string gamename)
 		{
+			OSTailoredCode.LinkedLibManager.FreeByPtr(OSTailoredCode.LinkedLibManager.LoadOrThrow(LibMAME.dll)); // don't bother if the library is missing
+
 			ServiceProvider = new BasicServiceProvider(this);
 
 			_gameDirectory = dir;