diff --git a/rosidl_typesupport_c/CMakeLists.txt b/rosidl_typesupport_c/CMakeLists.txt
index c519c2e1..d7d09649 100644
--- a/rosidl_typesupport_c/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rosidl_typesupport_c/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ endif()
 
 find_package(ament_cmake_ros REQUIRED)
 find_package(rcpputils REQUIRED)
+find_package(rcutils REQUIRED)
 find_package(rosidl_runtime_c REQUIRED)
 
 ament_export_dependencies(rcpputils)
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PUBLIC
 
 ament_target_dependencies(${PROJECT_NAME}
   "rcpputils"
+  "rcutils"
   "rosidl_runtime_c"
 )
 ament_export_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME})
diff --git a/rosidl_typesupport_c/package.xml b/rosidl_typesupport_c/package.xml
index 6acc3ca5..c5b23957 100644
--- a/rosidl_typesupport_c/package.xml
+++ b/rosidl_typesupport_c/package.xml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   <buildtool_depend>ament_cmake_ros</buildtool_depend>
 
   <depend>rcpputils</depend>
+  <depend>rcutils</depend>
 
   <build_depend>rosidl_runtime_c</build_depend>
   <!--
diff --git a/rosidl_typesupport_c/src/type_support_dispatch.hpp b/rosidl_typesupport_c/src/type_support_dispatch.hpp
index 188fbefa..587030da 100644
--- a/rosidl_typesupport_c/src/type_support_dispatch.hpp
+++ b/rosidl_typesupport_c/src/type_support_dispatch.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "rcpputils/find_library.hpp"
 #include "rcpputils/shared_library.hpp"
+#include "rcutils/error_handling.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/identifier.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/type_support_map.h"
 
@@ -59,27 +60,29 @@ get_typesupport_handle_function(
           map->package_name, identifier);
         std::string library_path = rcpputils::find_library_path(library_name);
         if (library_path.empty()) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "Failed to find library '%s'\n", library_name);
+          RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+            "Failed to find library '%s'\n", library_name);
           return nullptr;
         }
 
         try {
           lib = new rcpputils::SharedLibrary(library_path.c_str());
         } catch (const std::runtime_error & e) {
-          throw std::runtime_error(
-                  "Could not load library " + library_path + ": " +
-                  std::string(e.what()));
+          RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+            "Could not load library %s: %s\n", library_path.c_str(), e.what());
+          return nullptr;
         } catch (const std::bad_alloc & e) {
-          throw std::runtime_error(
-                  "Could not load library " + library_path + ": " +
-                  std::string(e.what()));
+          RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+            "Could not load library %s: %s\n", library_path.c_str(), e.what());
+          return nullptr;
         }
         map->data[i] = lib;
       }
       auto clib = static_cast<const rcpputils::SharedLibrary *>(map->data[i]);
       lib = const_cast<rcpputils::SharedLibrary *>(clib);
       if (!lib->has_symbol(map->symbol_name[i])) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to find symbol '%s' in library\n", map->symbol_name[i]);
+        RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+          "Failed to find symbol '%s' in library\n", map->symbol_name[i]);
         return nullptr;
       }
       void * sym = lib->get_symbol(map->symbol_name[i]);
@@ -90,6 +93,9 @@ get_typesupport_handle_function(
       return ts;
     }
   }
+  RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+    "Handle's typesupport identifier (%s) is not supported by this library\n",
+    handle->typesupport_identifier);
   return nullptr;
 }
 
diff --git a/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_message_type_support_dispatch.cpp b/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_message_type_support_dispatch.cpp
index c33de640..b7112062 100644
--- a/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_message_type_support_dispatch.cpp
+++ b/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_message_type_support_dispatch.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include "rcpputils/shared_library.hpp"
+#include "rcutils/error_handling.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/identifier.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/message_type_support_dispatch.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/type_support_map.h"
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@ TEST(TestMessageTypeSupportDispatch, get_handle_function) {
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_message_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support,
       "different_identifier"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   rosidl_message_type_support_t type_support_c_identifier =
     get_rosidl_message_type_support(rosidl_typesupport_c__typesupport_identifier);
@@ -108,16 +111,22 @@ TEST(TestMessageTypeSupportDispatch, get_handle_function) {
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_message_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
       "test_type_support2"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   // Library file exists, but loading shared library fails
-  EXPECT_THROW(
+  EXPECT_EQ(
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_message_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
-      "test_type_support3"), std::runtime_error);
+      "test_type_support3"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   // Library doesn't exist
   EXPECT_EQ(
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_message_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
       "test_type_support4"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 }
diff --git a/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_service_type_support_dispatch.cpp b/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_service_type_support_dispatch.cpp
index 97dde177..34746c9c 100644
--- a/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_service_type_support_dispatch.cpp
+++ b/rosidl_typesupport_c/test/test_service_type_support_dispatch.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include "rcpputils/shared_library.hpp"
+#include "rcutils/error_handling.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/identifier.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/service_type_support_dispatch.h"
 #include "rosidl_typesupport_c/type_support_map.h"
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@ TEST(TestServiceTypeSupportDispatch, get_handle_function) {
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_service_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support,
       "different_identifier"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   rosidl_service_type_support_t type_support_c_identifier =
     get_rosidl_service_type_support(rosidl_typesupport_c__typesupport_identifier);
@@ -108,16 +111,22 @@ TEST(TestServiceTypeSupportDispatch, get_handle_function) {
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_service_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
       "test_type_support2"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   // Library file exists, but loading shared library fails
-  EXPECT_THROW(
+  EXPECT_EQ(
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_service_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
-      "test_type_support3"), std::runtime_error);
+      "test_type_support3"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 
   // Library doesn't exist
   EXPECT_EQ(
     rosidl_typesupport_c__get_service_typesupport_handle_function(
       &type_support_c_identifier,
       "test_type_support4"), nullptr);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(rcutils_error_is_set());
+  rcutils_reset_error();
 }