diff --git a/lib/common/init.js b/lib/common/init.js
index 0ffd97a7c53..0e3e2febaf5 100644
--- a/lib/common/init.js
+++ b/lib/common/init.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ process.atomBinding = function (name) {
   } catch (error) {
     if (/No such module/.test(error.message)) {
       return process.binding('atom_common_' + name)
+    } else {
+      throw error
     }
   }
 }