diff --git a/core/iwasm/aot/aot_loader.c b/core/iwasm/aot/aot_loader.c
index a15593b90c..5345fb2d72 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/aot/aot_loader.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/aot/aot_loader.c
@@ -1226,7 +1226,10 @@ load_import_globals(const uint8 **p_buf, const uint8 *buf_end,
             }
             import_globals[i].global_data_linked =
                 tmp_global.global_data_linked;
+            import_globals[i].is_linked = true;
         }
+#else
+        import_globals[i].is_linked = false;
 #endif
 
         import_globals[i].size = wasm_value_type_size(import_globals[i].type);
diff --git a/core/iwasm/aot/aot_runtime.c b/core/iwasm/aot/aot_runtime.c
index 133c5e38ad..1d1345337b 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/aot/aot_runtime.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/aot/aot_runtime.c
@@ -976,6 +976,26 @@ execute_memory_init_function(AOTModuleInstance *module_inst)
 }
 #endif
 
+static bool
+check_linked_symbol(AOTModule *module, char *error_buf, uint32 error_buf_size)
+{
+    uint32 i;
+
+    /* init_func_ptrs() will go through import functions */
+
+    for (i = 0; i < module->import_global_count; i++) {
+        AOTImportGlobal *global = module->import_globals + i;
+        if (!global->is_linked) {
+            set_error_buf_v(error_buf, error_buf_size,
+                            "warning: failed to link import global (%s, %s)",
+                            global->module_name, global->global_name);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 AOTModuleInstance *
 aot_instantiate(AOTModule *module, bool is_sub_inst, uint32 stack_size,
                 uint32 heap_size, char *error_buf, uint32 error_buf_size)
@@ -1059,6 +1079,9 @@ aot_instantiate(AOTModule *module, bool is_sub_inst, uint32 stack_size,
     if (!init_func_type_indexes(module_inst, module, error_buf, error_buf_size))
         goto fail;
 
+    if (!check_linked_symbol(module, error_buf, error_buf_size))
+        goto fail;
+
     if (!create_exports(module_inst, module, error_buf, error_buf_size))
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/core/iwasm/common/wasm_c_api.c b/core/iwasm/common/wasm_c_api.c
index d8b9841364..10398b267c 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/common/wasm_c_api.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/common/wasm_c_api.c
@@ -4555,6 +4555,7 @@ aot_link_global(const AOTModule *module_aot, uint16 global_idx_rt,
     }
 
     import->global_idx_rt = global_idx_rt;
+    import_aot_global->is_linked = true;
     return true;
 
 failed:
diff --git a/core/iwasm/compilation/aot.h b/core/iwasm/compilation/aot.h
index c7989851c4..c67251a6ff 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/compilation/aot.h
+++ b/core/iwasm/compilation/aot.h
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ typedef struct AOTImportGlobal {
     uint32 data_offset;
     /* global data after linked */
     WASMValue global_data_linked;
+    bool is_linked;
 } AOTImportGlobal;
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/iwasm/interpreter/wasm_runtime.c b/core/iwasm/interpreter/wasm_runtime.c
index fd85b71b81..49ed2d6817 100644
--- a/core/iwasm/interpreter/wasm_runtime.c
+++ b/core/iwasm/interpreter/wasm_runtime.c
@@ -1235,6 +1235,7 @@ check_linked_symbol(WASMModuleInstance *module_inst, char *error_buf,
 #if WASM_ENABLE_WAMR_COMPILER == 0
             LOG_WARNING("warning: failed to link import function (%s, %s)",
                         func->module_name, func->field_name);
+            /* will throw exception only if calling */
 #else
             /* do nothing to avoid confused message */
 #endif /* WASM_ENABLE_WAMR_COMPILER == 0 */
@@ -1250,8 +1251,10 @@ check_linked_symbol(WASMModuleInstance *module_inst, char *error_buf,
             return false;
 #else
 #if WASM_ENABLE_WAMR_COMPILER == 0
-            LOG_DEBUG("warning: failed to link import global (%s, %s)",
-                      global->module_name, global->field_name);
+            set_error_buf_v(error_buf, error_buf_size,
+                            "warning: failed to link import global (%s, %s)",
+                            global->module_name, global->field_name);
+            return false;
 #else
             /* do nothing to avoid confused message */
 #endif /* WASM_ENABLE_WAMR_COMPILER == 0 */