diff --git a/lua/codemp/init.lua b/lua/codemp/init.lua
index 518eb33..9800855 100644
--- a/lua/codemp/init.lua
+++ b/lua/codemp/init.lua
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ end
 
 if CODEMP.native == nil then
 	CODEMP.native = require('codemp.loader').load() -- make sure we can load the native library correctly, otherwise no point going forward
+	if CODEMP.native == nil then
+		print(" !! could not load native bindings, try reloading")
+	end
 	--CODEMP.native.logger(function (msg)
 	--	vim.schedule(function () print(msg) end)
 	--end, true)
diff --git a/lua/codemp/loader.lua b/lua/codemp/loader.lua
index 6619a8f..75de3cf 100644
--- a/lua/codemp/loader.lua
+++ b/lua/codemp/loader.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 ---@module 'annotations'
 
----@return Codemp
+---@return Codemp?
 local function load()
-	local native, _ = require("codemp.native")
-	return native
+	local ok, native = pcall(require, "codemp.native")
+	if ok then return native end
+	return nil
 end
 
 return {