diff --git a/src/pocketpy_c.cpp b/src/pocketpy_c.cpp
index 90b32b29..86439a4e 100644
--- a/src/pocketpy_c.cpp
+++ b/src/pocketpy_c.cpp
@@ -469,7 +469,10 @@ bool pkpy_clear_error(pkpy_vm* vm_handle, char** message) {
     // no error
     if (vm->_c.error == nullptr) return false;
     Exception& e = _py_cast<Exception&>(vm, vm->_c.error);
-    if (message != nullptr) *message = e.summary().c_str_dup();
+    if (message != nullptr)
+        *message = e.summary().c_str_dup();
+    else
+        std::cerr << e.summary() << std::endl;
     vm->_c.error = nullptr;
     // clear the whole stack??
     vm->callstack.clear();
diff --git a/tests/dylib/test.c b/tests/dylib/test.c
index b1206164..b85e0921 100644
--- a/tests/dylib/test.c
+++ b/tests/dylib/test.c
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@ const char* platform_module__init__(pkpy_vm* vm, const char* version){
     pkpy_push_module(vm, "test");
     pkpy_setattr(vm, pkpy_name("hello"));
     if(pkpy_check_error(vm)){
-        char* err;
-        pkpy_clear_error(vm, &err);
-        printf("%s\n", err);
-        free(err);
+        pkpy_clear_error(vm, NULL);
         exit(1);
     }
     return "test";