diff --git a/media/codec2/vndk/C2Store.cpp b/media/codec2/vndk/C2Store.cpp
index e075849..10c4dcc 100644
--- a/media/codec2/vndk/C2Store.cpp
+++ b/media/codec2/vndk/C2Store.cpp
@@ -661,24 +661,27 @@
     ALOGV("in %s", __func__);
     ALOGV("loading dll");
     mLibHandle = dlopen(libPath.c_str(), RTLD_NOW|RTLD_NODELETE);
-    if (mLibHandle == nullptr) {
-        // could be access/symbol or simply not being there
-        ALOGD("could not dlopen %s: %s", libPath.c_str(), dlerror());
-        mInit = C2_CORRUPTED;
-    } else {
-        createFactory =
-            (C2ComponentFactory::CreateCodec2FactoryFunc)dlsym(mLibHandle, "CreateCodec2Factory");
-        destroyFactory =
-            (C2ComponentFactory::DestroyCodec2FactoryFunc)dlsym(mLibHandle, "DestroyCodec2Factory");
+    LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(mLibHandle == nullptr,
+            "could not dlopen %s: %s", libPath.c_str(), dlerror());
 
-        mComponentFactory = createFactory();
-        if (mComponentFactory == nullptr) {
-            ALOGD("could not create factory in %s", libPath.c_str());
-            mInit = C2_NO_MEMORY;
-        } else {
-            mInit = C2_OK;
-        }
+    createFactory =
+        (C2ComponentFactory::CreateCodec2FactoryFunc)dlsym(mLibHandle, "CreateCodec2Factory");
+    LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(createFactory == nullptr,
+            "createFactory is null in %s", libPath.c_str());
+
+    destroyFactory =
+        (C2ComponentFactory::DestroyCodec2FactoryFunc)dlsym(mLibHandle, "DestroyCodec2Factory");
+    LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(destroyFactory == nullptr,
+            "destroyFactory is null in %s", libPath.c_str());
+
+    mComponentFactory = createFactory();
+    if (mComponentFactory == nullptr) {
+        ALOGD("could not create factory in %s", libPath.c_str());
+        mInit = C2_NO_MEMORY;
+    } else {
+        mInit = C2_OK;
     }
+
     if (mInit != C2_OK) {
         return mInit;
     }