diff --git a/include/mruby.h b/include/mruby.h
index 6331ca8c9..ee23688ff 100644
--- a/include/mruby.h
+++ b/include/mruby.h
@@ -1270,6 +1270,29 @@ MRB_API mrb_state* mrb_open_core(void);
 MRB_API void mrb_close(mrb_state *mrb);
 MRB_API void mrb_method_cache_clear(mrb_state *mrb);
 
+/**
+ * Check if mrb_open() succeeded
+ *
+ * @param mrb
+ *      Pointer returned from mrb_open() or mrb_open_core().
+ * @return
+ *      Non-zero if initialization succeeded, 0 if failed.
+ * @note
+ *      mrb_open() may return non-NULL even on failure (with mrb->exc set).
+ *      Use this macro to check for success:
+ *      @code
+ *      mrb_state *mrb = mrb_open();
+ *      if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
+ *        if (mrb) {
+ *          // Inspect mrb->exc for error details
+ *          mrb_close(mrb);
+ *        }
+ *        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+ *      }
+ *      @endcode
+ */
+#define MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb) ((mrb) && !(mrb)->exc)
+
 /**
  * The memory allocation function. You can redefine this function for your own allocator.
  *
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
index 0413c0be0..a135b0fa7 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
@@ -673,8 +673,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
  l_restart:
 
-  if (mrb == NULL) {
-    fputs("Invalid mrb_state, exiting mruby\n", stderr);
+  if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
+    if (mrb) {
+      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
+      mrb_print_error(mrb);
+      mrb_close(mrb);
+    }
+    else {
+      /* Allocation failed */
+      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mrdb\n", stderr);
+    }
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
index 2c003758e..77ab8ce6b 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
@@ -475,8 +475,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   /* new interpreter instance */
   mrb = mrb_open();
-  if (mrb == NULL) {
-    fputs("Invalid mrb interpreter, exiting mirb\n", stderr);
+  if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
+    if (mrb) {
+      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
+      mrb_print_error(mrb);
+      mrb_close(mrb);
+    }
+    else {
+      /* Allocation failed */
+      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mirb\n", stderr);
+    }
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
index 253410165..38274c399 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
@@ -282,8 +282,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
   mrb_value ARGV;
   mrb_value v;
 
-  if (mrb == NULL) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "%s: Invalid mrb_state, exiting mruby\n", *argv);
+  if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
+    if (mrb) {
+      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
+      mrb_print_error(mrb);
+      mrb_close(mrb);
+    }
+    else {
+      /* Allocation failed */
+      fprintf(stderr, "%s: Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mruby\n", *argv);
+    }
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c b/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
index e62bc0147..d1decad8b 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
@@ -290,8 +290,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   /* new interpreter instance */
   mrb = mrb_open();
-  if (mrb == NULL) {
-    fputs("Invalid mrb_state, exiting test driver", stderr);
+  if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
+    if (mrb) {
+      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
+      mrb_print_error(mrb);
+      mrb_close(mrb);
+    }
+    else {
+      /* Allocation failed */
+      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting test driver", stderr);
+    }
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/error.c b/src/error.c
index 4b39381dd..ffb9e4792 100644
--- a/src/error.c
+++ b/src/error.c
@@ -741,13 +741,7 @@ mrb_core_init_protect(mrb_state *mrb, void (*body)(mrb_state*, void*), void *opa
     body(mrb, opaque);
     err = 0;
   } MRB_CATCH(&c_jmp) {
-    if (mrb->exc) {
-      mrb_print_error(mrb);
-      mrb->exc = NULL;
-    }
-    else {
-      mrb_core_init_printabort(mrb);
-    }
+    /* Leave mrb->exc set for caller to inspect */
   } MRB_END_EXC(&c_jmp);
 
   mrb->jmp = prev_jmp;
diff --git a/src/state.c b/src/state.c
index 1b3d687b9..ee536901a 100644
--- a/src/state.c
+++ b/src/state.c
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ mrb_open_core(void)
   mrb->bootstrapping = TRUE;
 
   if (mrb_core_init_protect(mrb, init_gc_and_core, NULL)) {
-    mrb_close(mrb);
-    return NULL;
+    /* Return mrb with mrb->exc set for caller to inspect */
+    return mrb;
   }
 
   mrb_method_cache_clear(mrb);
@@ -74,14 +74,15 @@ mrb_open(void)
 {
   mrb_state *mrb = mrb_open_core();
 
-  if (mrb == NULL) {
-    return NULL;
+  if (mrb == NULL || mrb->exc) {
+    /* Either allocation failed or core init failed */
+    return mrb;
   }
 
 #ifndef MRB_NO_GEMS
   if (mrb_core_init_protect(mrb, init_mrbgems, NULL)) {
-    mrb_close(mrb);
-    return NULL;
+    /* Gem init failed - return mrb with mrb->exc set */
+    return mrb;
   }
   mrb_gc_arena_restore(mrb, 0);
 #endif