diff --git a/OpenDreamRuntime/DreamManager.cs b/OpenDreamRuntime/DreamManager.cs
index 2eb1bf7b5b..b9412ce103 100644
--- a/OpenDreamRuntime/DreamManager.cs
+++ b/OpenDreamRuntime/DreamManager.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,12 @@ public void PreInitialize(string? jsonPath) {
         _sawmill = Logger.GetSawmill("opendream");
         ListPoolThreshold = _config.GetCVar(OpenDreamCVars.ListPoolThreshold);
         ListPoolSize = _config.GetCVar(OpenDreamCVars.ListPoolSize);
-        ByondApi.ByondApi.Initialize(this, _refManager, _atomManager, _dreamMapManager, _objectTree);
+
+        try {
+            ByondApi.ByondApi.Initialize(this, _refManager, _atomManager, _dreamMapManager, _objectTree);
+        } catch (DllNotFoundException e) {
+            _sawmill.Warning($"ByondApi could not initialize due to missing dll: {e.Message}");
+        }
 
         InitializeConnectionManager();
         _dreamResourceManager.PreInitialize();