diff --git a/delvewheel/_dll_utils.py b/delvewheel/_dll_utils.py
index 3dfa857..cd9e780 100644
--- a/delvewheel/_dll_utils.py
+++ b/delvewheel/_dll_utils.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def null_translator(directory: str, arch: MachineType) -> str:
         return null_translator
 
     # determine architecture of interpreter and OS
-    kernel32 = ctypes.windll.kernel32
+    kernel32 = ctypes.WinDLL('kernel32', use_last_error=True)
     interpreter_arch = get_interpreter_arch()
     if not interpreter_arch:
         # file system redirection rules are unknown
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def null_translator(directory: str, arch: MachineType) -> str:
         process_machine = ctypes.c_ushort()
         native_machine = ctypes.c_ushort()
         if not kernel32.IsWow64Process2(ctypes.c_void_p(kernel32.GetCurrentProcess()), ctypes.byref(process_machine), ctypes.byref(native_machine)):
-            raise OSError(f'Unable to determine whether WOW64 is active, Error={ctypes.FormatError()}')
+            raise OSError(f'Unable to determine whether WOW64 is active, Error={ctypes.FormatError(ctypes.get_last_error())}')
         if not process_machine.value:
             os_arch = interpreter_arch
         else:
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def null_translator(directory: str, arch: MachineType) -> str:
     elif hasattr(kernel32, 'IsWow64Process'):
         wow64_process = ctypes.c_int()
         if not kernel32.IsWow64Process(ctypes.c_void_p(kernel32.GetCurrentProcess()), ctypes.byref(wow64_process)):
-            raise OSError(f'Unable to determine whether WOW64 is active, Error={ctypes.FormatError()}')
+            raise OSError(f'Unable to determine whether WOW64 is active, Error={ctypes.FormatError(ctypes.get_last_error())}')
         os_arch = MachineType.AMD64 if wow64_process.value else interpreter_arch
     else:
         os_arch = MachineType.I386
diff --git a/delvewheel/_wheel_repair.py b/delvewheel/_wheel_repair.py
index 383e522..52687f1 100644
--- a/delvewheel/_wheel_repair.py
+++ b/delvewheel/_wheel_repair.py
@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@ def _delvewheel_patch_{1}():
                 load_order = file.read().split()
             for lib in load_order:
                 lib_path = os.path.join(os.path.join(libs_dir, lib))
-                if os.path.isfile(lib_path) and not ctypes.windll.kernel32.LoadLibraryExW(ctypes.c_wchar_p(lib_path), None, 0x00000008):
-                    raise OSError('Error loading {{}}; {{}}'.format(lib, ctypes.FormatError()))
+                kernel32 = ctypes.WinDLL('kernel32', use_last_error=True)
+                if os.path.isfile(lib_path) and not kernel32.LoadLibraryExW(ctypes.c_wchar_p(lib_path), None, 0x00000008):
+                    raise OSError('Error loading {{}}; {{}}'.format(lib, ctypes.FormatError(ctypes.get_last_error())))
 
 
 _delvewheel_patch_{1}()