diff --git a/docs/reference/glib/glib-sections.txt b/docs/reference/glib/glib-sections.txt
index 406041253..9c45e5e4b 100644
--- a/docs/reference/glib/glib-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/glib/glib-sections.txt
@@ -2490,9 +2490,12 @@ g_bookmark_file_error_quark
 <FILE>modules</FILE>
 <INCLUDE>gmodule.h</INCLUDE>
 GModule
+GModuleError
+G_MODULE_ERROR
 g_module_supported
 g_module_build_path
 g_module_open
+g_module_open_full
 GModuleFlags
 g_module_symbol
 g_module_name
@@ -2505,6 +2508,8 @@ GModuleUnload
 G_MODULE_SUFFIX
 G_MODULE_EXPORT
 G_MODULE_IMPORT
+<SUBSECTION Private>
+g_module_error_quark
 </SECTION>
 
 <SECTION>
diff --git a/gio/gio-querymodules.c b/gio/gio-querymodules.c
index eb5094f4d..cbeb9758e 100644
--- a/gio/gio-querymodules.c
+++ b/gio/gio-querymodules.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ query_dir (const char *dirname)
 	continue;
 
       path = g_build_filename (dirname, name, NULL);
-      module = g_module_open (path, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY | G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL);
+      module = g_module_open_full (path, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY | G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL, &error);
       g_free (path);
 
       if (module)
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ query_dir (const char *dirname)
 
 	  g_module_close (module);
 	}
+      else
+        {
+          g_debug ("Failed to open module %s: %s", name, error->message);
+        }
+
+      g_clear_error (&error);
     }
 
   g_dir_close (dir);
diff --git a/gio/giomodule.c b/gio/giomodule.c
index d3b5e482a..c1d451b5c 100644
--- a/gio/giomodule.c
+++ b/gio/giomodule.c
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ static gboolean
 g_io_module_load_module (GTypeModule *gmodule)
 {
   GIOModule *module = G_IO_MODULE (gmodule);
+  GError *error = NULL;
 
   if (!module->filename)
     {
@@ -349,11 +350,12 @@ g_io_module_load_module (GTypeModule *gmodule)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  module->library = g_module_open (module->filename, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY | G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL);
+  module->library = g_module_open_full (module->filename, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY | G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL, &error);
 
   if (!module->library)
     {
-      g_printerr ("%s\n", g_module_error ());
+      g_printerr ("%s\n", error->message);
+      g_clear_error (&error);
       return FALSE;
     }
 
diff --git a/gmodule/gmodule-ar.c b/gmodule/gmodule-ar.c
index 381eef4db..8c3f15042 100644
--- a/gmodule/gmodule-ar.c
+++ b/gmodule/gmodule-ar.c
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ exit:
 static gpointer
 _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
 		gboolean     bind_lazy,
-		gboolean     bind_local)
+		gboolean     bind_local,
+                GError     **error)
 {
   gpointer handle;
   gchar* member;
@@ -123,7 +124,12 @@ _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
   g_free (full_name);
 
   if (!handle)
-    g_module_set_error (fetch_dlerror (TRUE));
+    {
+      const gchar *message = fetch_dlerror (TRUE);
+
+      g_module_set_error (message);
+      g_set_error_literal (error, G_MODULE_ERROR, G_MODULE_ERROR_FAILED, message);
+    }
   
   return handle;
 }
diff --git a/gmodule/gmodule-dl.c b/gmodule/gmodule-dl.c
index c1408212a..26f6ba029 100644
--- a/gmodule/gmodule-dl.c
+++ b/gmodule/gmodule-dl.c
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ fetch_dlerror (gboolean replace_null)
 static gpointer
 _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
 		gboolean     bind_lazy,
-		gboolean     bind_local)
+		gboolean     bind_local,
+                GError     **error)
 {
   gpointer handle;
   
@@ -135,7 +136,13 @@ _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
   handle = dlopen (file_name,
 		   (bind_local ? 0 : RTLD_GLOBAL) | (bind_lazy ? RTLD_LAZY : RTLD_NOW));
   if (!handle)
-    g_module_set_error (fetch_dlerror (TRUE));
+    {
+      const gchar *message = fetch_dlerror (TRUE);
+
+      g_module_set_error (message);
+      g_set_error_literal (error, G_MODULE_ERROR, G_MODULE_ERROR_FAILED, message);
+    }
+
   unlock_dlerror ();
   
   return handle;
diff --git a/gmodule/gmodule-win32.c b/gmodule/gmodule-win32.c
index 2aea8bae9..cb5194961 100644
--- a/gmodule/gmodule-win32.c
+++ b/gmodule/gmodule-win32.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
  */
 #include "config.h"
 
+#include <glib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <windows.h>
 
@@ -39,34 +40,38 @@
 #include <sys/cygwin.h>
 #endif
 
-static void G_GNUC_PRINTF (1, 2)
-set_error (const gchar *format,
-	   ...)
+static void G_GNUC_PRINTF (2, 3)
+set_error (GError      **error,
+           const gchar  *format,
+           ...)
 {
-  gchar *error;
+  gchar *win32_error;
   gchar *detail;
   gchar *message;
   va_list args;
 
-  error = g_win32_error_message (GetLastError ());
+  win32_error = g_win32_error_message (GetLastError ());
 
   va_start (args, format);
   detail = g_strdup_vprintf (format, args);
   va_end (args);
 
-  message = g_strconcat (detail, error, NULL);
+  message = g_strconcat (detail, win32_error, NULL);
 
   g_module_set_error (message);
+  g_set_error_literal (error, G_MODULE_ERROR, G_MODULE_ERROR_FAILED, message);
+
   g_free (message);
   g_free (detail);
-  g_free (error);
+  g_free (win32_error);
 }
 
 /* --- functions --- */
 static gpointer
 _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
 		gboolean     bind_lazy,
-		gboolean     bind_local)
+		gboolean     bind_local,
+                GError     **error)
 {
   HINSTANCE handle;
   wchar_t *wfilename;
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
   /* suppress error dialog */
   success = SetThreadErrorMode (SEM_NOOPENFILEERRORBOX | SEM_FAILCRITICALERRORS, &old_mode);
   if (!success)
-    set_error ("");
+    set_error (error, "");
 
   /* When building for UWP, load app asset DLLs instead of filesystem DLLs.
    * Needs MSVC, Windows 8 and newer, and is only usable from apps. */
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ _g_module_open (const gchar *file_name,
   g_free (wfilename);
       
   if (!handle)
-    set_error ("'%s': ", file_name);
+    set_error (error, "'%s': ", file_name);
 
   return handle;
 }
@@ -117,7 +122,7 @@ _g_module_close (gpointer handle)
 {
   if (handle != null_module_handle)
     if (!FreeLibrary (handle))
-      set_error ("");
+      set_error (NULL, "");
 }
 
 static gpointer
@@ -189,7 +194,7 @@ _g_module_symbol (gpointer     handle,
     p = GetProcAddress (handle, symbol_name);
 
   if (!p)
-    set_error ("");
+    set_error (NULL, "");
 
   return p;
 }
diff --git a/gmodule/gmodule.c b/gmodule/gmodule.c
index 3c67e2e54..4a4e279a1 100644
--- a/gmodule/gmodule.c
+++ b/gmodule/gmodule.c
@@ -204,9 +204,10 @@ struct _GModule
 
 
 /* --- prototypes --- */
-static gpointer		_g_module_open		(const gchar	*file_name,
-						 gboolean	 bind_lazy,
-						 gboolean	 bind_local);
+static gpointer _g_module_open (const gchar  *file_name,
+                                gboolean      bind_lazy,
+                                gboolean      bind_local,
+                                GError      **error);
 static void		_g_module_close		(gpointer	 handle);
 static gpointer		_g_module_self		(void);
 static gpointer		_g_module_symbol	(gpointer	 handle,
@@ -289,10 +290,12 @@ g_module_set_error (const gchar *error)
 #define	SUPPORT_OR_RETURN(rv)	{ g_module_set_error ("dynamic modules are " \
                                               "not supported by this system"); return rv; }
 static gpointer
-_g_module_open (const gchar	*file_name,
-		gboolean	 bind_lazy,
-		gboolean	 bind_local)
+_g_module_open (const gchar  *file_name,
+                gboolean      bind_lazy,
+                gboolean      bind_local,
+                GError      **error)
 {
+  g_module_set_error (NULL);
   return NULL;
 }
 static void
@@ -318,6 +321,15 @@ _g_module_build_path (const gchar *directory,
 }
 #endif	/* no implementation */
 
+/**
+ * G_MODULE_ERROR:
+ *
+ * The error domain of the #GModule API.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.70
+ */
+G_DEFINE_QUARK (g-module-error-quark, g_module_error)
+
 /* --- functions --- */
 
 /**
@@ -425,17 +437,6 @@ parse_libtool_archive (const gchar* libtool_name)
   return name;
 }
 
-static inline gboolean
-str_check_suffix (const gchar* string,
-		  const gchar* suffix)
-{
-  gsize string_len = strlen (string);    
-  gsize suffix_len = strlen (suffix);    
-
-  return string_len >= suffix_len && 
-    strcmp (string + string_len - suffix_len, suffix) == 0;
-}
-
 enum
 {
   G_MODULE_DEBUG_RESIDENT_MODULES = 1 << 0,
@@ -462,36 +463,42 @@ _g_module_debug_init (void)
 static GRecMutex g_module_global_lock;
 
 /**
- * g_module_open:
+ * g_module_open_full:
  * @file_name: (nullable): the name of the file containing the module, or %NULL
  *     to obtain a #GModule representing the main program itself
  * @flags: the flags used for opening the module. This can be the
  *     logical OR of any of the #GModuleFlags
+ * @error: #GError.
  *
  * Opens a module. If the module has already been opened,
  * its reference count is incremented.
  *
- * First of all g_module_open() tries to open @file_name as a module.
+ * First of all g_module_open_full() tries to open @file_name as a module.
  * If that fails and @file_name has the ".la"-suffix (and is a libtool
  * archive) it tries to open the corresponding module. If that fails
  * and it doesn't have the proper module suffix for the platform
  * (#G_MODULE_SUFFIX), this suffix will be appended and the corresponding
  * module will be opened. If that fails and @file_name doesn't have the
- * ".la"-suffix, this suffix is appended and g_module_open() tries to open
+ * ".la"-suffix, this suffix is appended and g_module_open_full() tries to open
  * the corresponding module. If eventually that fails as well, %NULL is
  * returned.
  *
  * Returns: a #GModule on success, or %NULL on failure
+ *
+ * Since: 2.70
  */
 GModule*
-g_module_open (const gchar    *file_name,
-	       GModuleFlags    flags)
+g_module_open_full (const gchar   *file_name,
+                    GModuleFlags   flags,
+                    GError       **error)
 {
   GModule *module;
   gpointer handle = NULL;
   gchar *name = NULL;
   
   SUPPORT_OR_RETURN (NULL);
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (error == NULL || *error == NULL, NULL);
   
   g_rec_mutex_lock (&g_module_global_lock);
 
@@ -577,30 +584,23 @@ g_module_open (const gchar    *file_name,
     }
 
   /* ok, try loading the module */
-  if (name)
-    {
-      /* if it's a libtool archive, figure library file to load */
-      if (str_check_suffix (name, ".la")) /* libtool archive? */
-	{
-	  gchar *real_name = parse_libtool_archive (name);
+  g_assert (name != NULL);
 
-	  /* real_name might be NULL, but then module error is already set */
-	  if (real_name)
-	    {
-	      g_free (name);
-	      name = real_name;
-            }
-	}
-      if (name)
-	handle = _g_module_open (name, (flags & G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY) != 0,
-			(flags & G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL) != 0);
-    }
-  else
+  /* if it's a libtool archive, figure library file to load */
+  if (g_str_has_suffix (name, ".la")) /* libtool archive? */
     {
-      gchar *display_file_name = g_filename_display_name (file_name);
-      g_module_set_error_unduped (g_strdup_printf ("unable to access file \"%s\"", display_file_name));
-      g_free (display_file_name);
+      gchar *real_name = parse_libtool_archive (name);
+
+      /* real_name might be NULL, but then module error is already set */
+      if (real_name)
+        {
+          g_free (name);
+          name = real_name;
+        }
     }
+
+  handle = _g_module_open (name, (flags & G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY) != 0,
+                           (flags & G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL) != 0, error);
   g_free (name);
 
   if (handle)
@@ -643,15 +643,16 @@ g_module_open (const gchar    *file_name,
       
       if (check_failed)
 	{
-	  gchar *error;
+	  gchar *temp_error;
 
-	  error = g_strconcat ("GModule (", file_name, ") ",
-                               "initialization check failed: ",
-                               check_failed, NULL);
+          temp_error = g_strconcat ("GModule (", file_name, ") ",
+                                    "initialization check failed: ",
+                                    check_failed, NULL);
 	  g_module_close (module);
 	  module = NULL;
-	  g_module_set_error (error);
-	  g_free (error);
+          g_module_set_error (temp_error);
+          g_set_error_literal (error, G_MODULE_ERROR, G_MODULE_ERROR_CHECK_FAILED, temp_error);
+          g_free (temp_error);
 	}
       else
 	g_module_set_error (saved_error);
@@ -667,6 +668,24 @@ g_module_open (const gchar    *file_name,
   return module;
 }
 
+/**
+ * g_module_open:
+ * @file_name: (nullable): the name of the file containing the module, or %NULL
+ *     to obtain a #GModule representing the main program itself
+ * @flags: the flags used for opening the module. This can be the
+ *     logical OR of any of the #GModuleFlags.
+ *
+ * A thin wrapper function around g_module_open_full()
+ *
+ * Returns: a #GModule on success, or %NULL on failure
+ */
+GModule *
+g_module_open (const gchar  *file_name,
+               GModuleFlags  flags)
+{
+  return g_module_open_full (file_name, flags, NULL);
+}
+
 /**
  * g_module_close:
  * @module: a #GModule to close
diff --git a/gmodule/gmodule.h b/gmodule/gmodule.h
index 486684deb..c5fd03334 100644
--- a/gmodule/gmodule.h
+++ b/gmodule/gmodule.h
@@ -66,6 +66,26 @@ typedef	struct _GModule			 GModule;
 typedef const gchar* (*GModuleCheckInit) (GModule	*module);
 typedef void	     (*GModuleUnload)	 (GModule	*module);
 
+#define G_MODULE_ERROR g_module_error_quark () GLIB_AVAILABLE_MACRO_IN_2_70
+GLIB_AVAILABLE_IN_2_70
+GQuark g_module_error_quark (void);
+
+/**
+ * GModuleError:
+ * @G_MODULE_ERROR_FAILED: there was an error loading or opening a module file
+ * @G_MODULE_ERROR_CHECK_FAILED: a module returned an error from its `g_module_check_init()` function
+ *
+ * Errors returned by g_module_open_full().
+ *
+ * Since: 2.70
+ */
+typedef enum
+{
+  G_MODULE_ERROR_FAILED,
+  G_MODULE_ERROR_CHECK_FAILED,
+} GModuleError
+GLIB_AVAILABLE_ENUMERATOR_IN_2_70;
+
 /* return TRUE if dynamic module loading is supported */
 GLIB_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 gboolean	g_module_supported	   (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
@@ -75,6 +95,11 @@ GLIB_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GModule*              g_module_open          (const gchar  *file_name,
 					      GModuleFlags  flags);
 
+GLIB_AVAILABLE_IN_2_70
+GModule              *g_module_open_full     (const gchar   *file_name,
+                                              GModuleFlags   flags,
+                                              GError       **error);
+
 /* close a previously opened module, returns TRUE on success */
 GLIB_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 gboolean              g_module_close         (GModule      *module);
diff --git a/tests/module-test.c b/tests/module-test.c
index e0e6423f6..62473d29d 100644
--- a/tests/module-test.c
+++ b/tests/module-test.c
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ main (int    argc,
   gchar *plugin_a, *plugin_b;
   SimpleFunc f_a, f_b, f_self;
   GModuleFunc gmod_f;
+  GError *error = NULL;
 
   g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
 
@@ -95,18 +96,21 @@ main (int    argc,
 
   /* module handles */
   
-  module_self = g_module_open (NULL, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
+  module_self = g_module_open_full (NULL, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY, &error);
+  g_assert_no_error (error);
   if (!module_self)
     g_error ("error: %s", g_module_error ());
 
   if (!g_module_symbol (module_self, "g_module_close", (gpointer *) &f_self))
     g_error ("error: %s", g_module_error ());
 
-  module_a = g_module_open (plugin_a, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
+  module_a = g_module_open_full (plugin_a, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY, &error);
+  g_assert_no_error (error);
   if (!module_a)
     g_error ("error: %s", g_module_error ());
 
-  module_b = g_module_open (plugin_b, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
+  module_b = g_module_open_full (plugin_b, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY, &error);
+  g_assert_no_error (error);
   if (!module_b)
     g_error ("error: %s", g_module_error ());