diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
index fe12d5b7..84a11312 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ static ssize_t receive_from_mbrola(void *buffer, size_t bufsize)
  * API functions.
  */
 
-int init_MBR(const char *voice_path)
+int init_mbrola(char *voice_path)
 {
 	int error, result;
 	unsigned char wavhdr[45];
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ int init_MBR(const char *voice_path)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void close_MBR(void)
+void close_mbrola(void)
 {
 	stop_mbrola();
 	free_pending_data();
@@ -572,15 +572,15 @@ void close_MBR(void)
 	mbr_volume = 1.0;
 }
 
-int reset_MBR()
+void reset_mbrola(void)
 {
 	int result, success = 1;
 	char dummybuf[4096];
 
 	if (mbr_state == MBR_IDLE)
-		return 1;
+		return;
 	if (!mbr_pid)
-		return 0;
+		return;
 	if (kill(mbr_pid, SIGUSR1) == -1)
 		success = 0;
 	free_pending_data();
@@ -594,10 +594,9 @@ int reset_MBR()
 		success = 0;
 	if (!mbrola_has_errors() && success)
 		mbr_state = MBR_IDLE;
-	return success;
 }
 
-int read_MBR(void *buffer, int nb_samples)
+int read_mbrola(short *buffer, int nb_samples)
 {
 	int result = receive_from_mbrola(buffer, nb_samples * 2);
 	if (result > 0)
@@ -605,23 +604,23 @@ int read_MBR(void *buffer, int nb_samples)
 	return result;
 }
 
-int write_MBR(const char *data)
+int write_mbrola(char *data)
 {
 	mbr_state = MBR_NEWDATA;
 	return send_to_mbrola(data);
 }
 
-int flush_MBR(void)
+int flush_mbrola(void)
 {
 	return send_to_mbrola("\n#\n") == 3;
 }
 
-int getFreq_MBR(void)
+int getFreq_mbrola(void)
 {
 	return mbr_samplerate;
 }
 
-void setVolumeRatio_MBR(float value)
+void setVolumeRatio_mbrola(float value)
 {
 	if (value == mbr_volume)
 		return;
@@ -636,7 +635,7 @@ void setVolumeRatio_MBR(float value)
 	init_MBR(mbr_voice_path);
 }
 
-int lastErrorStr_MBR(char *buffer, int bufsize)
+int lastErrorStr_mbrola(char *buffer, int bufsize)
 {
 	int result;
 	if (mbr_pid)
@@ -645,9 +644,28 @@ int lastErrorStr_MBR(char *buffer, int bufsize)
 	return result >= bufsize ? (bufsize - 1) : result;
 }
 
-void resetError_MBR(void)
+void setNoError_mbrola(int no_error)
 {
-	mbr_errorbuf[0] = 0;
+	(void)no_error; // unused
 }
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+BOOL load_MBR(void)
+{
+	init_MBR = init_mbrola;
+	close_MBR = close_mbrola;
+	reset_MBR = reset_mbrola;
+	read_MBR = read_mbrola;
+	write_MBR = write_mbrola;
+	flush_MBR = flush_mbrola;
+	getFreq_MBR = getFreq_mbrola;
+	setVolumeRatio_MBR = setVolumeRatio_mbrola;
+	lastErrorStr_MBR = lastErrorStr_mbrola;
+	setNoError_MBR = setNoError_mbrola;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+void unload_MBR(void)
+{
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.h b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.h
index d492f5a6..f612a01b 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.h
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.h
@@ -34,23 +34,13 @@ typedef int (WINAPI *PROCIC)(char *);
 typedef int (WINAPI *PROCISI)(short *, int);
 typedef char * (WINAPI *PROCVCI)(char *, int);
 
-PROCIC init_MBR;
-PROCIC write_MBR;
-PROCIV flush_MBR;
-PROCISI read_MBR;
-PROCVV close_MBR;
-PROCVV reset_MBR;
-PROCIV lastError_MBR;
-PROCVCI lastErrorStr_MBR;
-PROCVI setNoError_MBR;
-PROCIV getFreq_MBR;
-PROCVF setVolumeRatio_MBR;
-
-BOOL load_MBR();
-void unload_MBR();
-
 #else
 
+#define WINAPI
+typedef int BOOL;
+
+#endif
+
 /*
  * Initialize mbrola.  The 'voice_path' argument must contain the
  * path and file name to the mbrola voice database to be used. Returned
@@ -59,22 +49,20 @@ void unload_MBR();
  * error reason.  If this is successful, then close_MBR() must be called
  * before init_MBR() can be called again.
  */
-int init_MBR(const char *voice_path);
+int (WINAPI *init_MBR)(char *voice_path);
 
 /*
  * Stop mbrola and release any resources.  It is necessary to call
  * this after a successful call to init_MBR() before init_MBR() can be
  * called again.
  */
-void close_MBR(void);
+void (WINAPI *close_MBR)(void);
 
 /*
  * Stop any ongoing processing and flush all buffers.  After this call
- * any synthesis request will start afresh.  A non-zero value is returned
- * on success, or 0 on failure. If not successful, lastErrorStr_MBR() will
- * provide the error reason.
+ * any synthesis request will start afresh.
  */
-int reset_MBR();
+void (WINAPI *reset_MBR)(void);
 
 /*
  * Return at most 'nb_samples' audio samples into 'buffer'. The returned
@@ -82,14 +70,14 @@ int reset_MBR();
  * If not successful, lastErrorStr_MBR() will provide the error reason.
  * Samples are always 16-bit little endian.
  */
-int read_MBR(void *buffer, int nb_samples);
+int (WINAPI *read_MBR)(short *buffer, int nb_samples);
 
 /*
  * Write a NULL terminated string of phoneme in the input buffer.
  * Return the number of chars actually written, or -1 on error.
  * If not successful, lastErrorStr_MBR() will provide the error reason.
  */
-int write_MBR(const char *data);
+int (WINAPI *write_MBR)(char *data);
 
 /*
  * Send a flush command to the mbrola input stream.
@@ -97,17 +85,17 @@ int write_MBR(const char *data);
  * or 0 on failure. If not successful, lastErrorStr_MBR() will provide
  * the error reason.
  */
-int flush_MBR(void);
+int (WINAPI *flush_MBR)(void);
 
 /*
  * Return the audio sample frequency of the used voice database.
  */
-int getFreq_MBR(void);
+int (WINAPI *getFreq_MBR)(void);
 
 /*
  * Overall volume.
  */
-void setVolumeRatio_MBR(float value);
+void (WINAPI *setVolumeRatio_MBR)(float value);
 
 /*
  * Copy into 'buffer' at most 'bufsize' bytes from the latest error
@@ -117,22 +105,15 @@ void setVolumeRatio_MBR(float value);
  * calls to lastErrorStr_MBR() will return the same message unless it
  * is explicitly cleared with resetError_MBR().
  */
-int lastErrorStr_MBR(char *buffer, int bufsize);
+int (WINAPI *lastErrorStr_MBR)(char *buffer, int bufsize);
 
 /*
- * Clear any pending error message.
+ * Tolerance to missing diphones.
  */
-void resetError_MBR(void);
+void (WINAPI *setNoError_MBR)(int no_error);
 
-/*
- * Tolerance to missing diphones (always active so this is ignored)
- */
-static inline void setNoError_MBR(int no_error)
-{
-	(void)no_error; // unused
-}
-
-#endif
+BOOL load_MBR(void);
+void unload_MBR(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/synth_mbrola.c b/src/libespeak-ng/synth_mbrola.c
index 5a687727..d26145ad 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/synth_mbrola.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/synth_mbrola.c
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ espeak_ng_STATUS LoadMbrolaTable(const char *mbrola_voice, const char *phtrans,
 		return ENS_OK;
 	}
 
+	if (!load_MBR())
+		return ENS_MBROLA_NOT_FOUND;
+
 	sprintf(path, "%s/mbrola/%s", path_home, mbrola_voice);
 #ifdef PLATFORM_POSIX
 	// if not found, then also look in
@@ -89,12 +92,6 @@ espeak_ng_STATUS LoadMbrolaTable(const char *mbrola_voice, const char *phtrans,
 	}
 	close_MBR();
 #endif
-#ifdef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
-	if (load_MBR() == FALSE) { // load mbrola.dll
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't load mbrola.dll\n");
-		return ENS_MBROLA_NOT_FOUND;
-	}
-#endif
 
 	if (init_MBR(path) != 0) // initialise the required mbrola voice
 		return ENS_MBROLA_VOICE_NOT_FOUND;