diff --git a/src/treesit.c b/src/treesit.c
index 90a1249ba8d..036411865d3 100644
--- a/src/treesit.c
+++ b/src/treesit.c
@@ -512,6 +512,8 @@ treesit_load_language (Lisp_Object language_symbol,
   /* First push just the filenames to the candidate list, which will
      make dynlib_open look under standard system load paths.  */
   treesit_load_language_push_for_each_suffix (lib_base_name, &path_candidates);
+  /* This is used for reporting errors (i.e., just filenames).  */
+  Lisp_Object base_candidates = path_candidates;
   /* Then push ~/.emacs.d/tree-sitter paths.  */
   Lisp_Object lib_name =
     Fexpand_file_name (concat2 (build_string ("tree-sitter/"), lib_base_name),
@@ -531,7 +533,6 @@ treesit_load_language (Lisp_Object language_symbol,
      fail.  */
   dynlib_handle_ptr handle;
   char const *error;
-  Lisp_Object error_list = Qnil;
   for (Lisp_Object tail = path_candidates;
        !NILP (tail); tail = XCDR (tail))
     {
@@ -541,13 +542,12 @@ treesit_load_language (Lisp_Object language_symbol,
       error = dynlib_error ();
       if (error == NULL)
 	break;
-      else
-	error_list = Fcons (build_string (error), error_list);
     }
   if (error != NULL)
     {
       *signal_symbol = Qtreesit_load_language_error;
-      *signal_data = Fcons (Qnot_found, Fnreverse (error_list));
+      *signal_data = list3 (Qnot_found, base_candidates,
+			    build_string ("No such file or directory"));
       return NULL;
     }