diff --git a/src/tiny/instead.lua b/src/tiny/instead.lua
index 4a888d60..4d5080cf 100644
--- a/src/tiny/instead.lua
+++ b/src/tiny/instead.lua
@@ -112,10 +112,13 @@ local function make_require(n, env)
     local f = io.open(name, "r")
     if f then
       f:close()
-      mods[n] = make_dofile(name, env)
+      mods[n] = make_dofile(name, env) or true
       break
     end
   end
+  if not mods[n] then
+    error("Can't load module: "..tostring(n), 2)
+  end
   return mods[n]
 end