diff --git a/src/java/mraajava.i b/src/java/mraajava.i
index 5225e29..86abc53 100644
--- a/src/java/mraajava.i
+++ b/src/java/mraajava.i
@@ -72,13 +72,17 @@ class Spi;
     jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
         /* initialize mraa and set jni functions */
         mraa_result_t res = mraa_init();
-        if (res == MRAA_SUCCESS || res == MRAA_ERROR_PLATFORM_ALREADY_INITIALISED) {
+        if (res == MRAA_SUCCESS) {
             mraa_java_set_jvm(vm);
             lang_func->java_isr_callback = &mraa_java_isr_callback;
             lang_func->java_attach_thread  = &mraa_java_attach_thread;
             lang_func->java_detach_thread = &mraa_java_detach_thread;
             lang_func->java_create_global_ref = &mraa_java_create_global_ref;
             lang_func->java_delete_global_ref = &mraa_java_delete_global_ref;
+        } else {
+            JNIEnv* jenv;
+            vm->GetEnv((void**)&jenv, JNI_REQUIRED_VERSION);
+            SWIG_JavaException(jenv, SWIG_RuntimeError, "mraa_init() failed");
         }
         return JNI_REQUIRED_VERSION;
     }