diff --git a/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/util.c b/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/util.c
index b3feefca..2b17c9bb 100644
--- a/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/util.c
+++ b/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/util.c
@@ -21,13 +21,18 @@ void win32_throw_exception(JNIEnv *env, char *msg)
 }
 
 void win32_throw_last_error(JNIEnv *env)
+{
+    win32_throw_error(env, GetLastError());
+}
+
+void win32_throw_error(JNIEnv *env, LONG err)
 {
     char msg[8192];
 
     FormatMessage(FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM |
                   FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS,
                   NULL,
-                  GetLastError(),
+                  err,
                   0, /* default language */
                   (LPTSTR)msg,
                   (DWORD)sizeof(msg),
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/win32bindings.h b/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/win32bindings.h
index 1b16fad0..190336db 100644
--- a/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/win32bindings.h
+++ b/bindings/java/src/jni/win32/win32bindings.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
     void win32_throw_exception(JNIEnv *env, char *msg);
 
+    void win32_throw_error(JNIEnv *env, LONG err);
+
     void win32_throw_last_error(JNIEnv *env);
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }