diff --git a/src/interpreter.c b/src/interpreter.c
index d08f44b..f08d3af 100644
--- a/src/interpreter.c
+++ b/src/interpreter.c
@@ -1586,26 +1586,29 @@ GroundValue interpretGroundInstruction(GroundInstruction inst, GroundScope* scop
             char* libName = in->args.args[0].value.value.data.stringVal;
             char path[1024];
             int found = 0;
+
+            // care about mac and windows later
+            char* extension = "so";
             
             char* envPath = getenv("GROUND_LIBS");
             
             if (envPath) {
-                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", envPath, libName);
+                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s.%s", envPath, libName, extension);
                 if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) found = 1;
             }
             
             if (!found) {
-                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "/usr/lib/ground/%s", libName);
+                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "/usr/lib/ground/%s.%s", libName, extension);
                 if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) found = 1;
             }
              if (!found) {
-                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "./%s", libName);
+                snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "./%s.%s", libName, extension);
                  if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) found = 1;
             }
 
             if (!found) {
                 char errorMsg[1100];
-                snprintf(errorMsg, sizeof(errorMsg), "Could not find external library: %s", libName);
+                snprintf(errorMsg, sizeof(errorMsg), "Could not find external library: %s, in path: %s", libName, path);
                 runtimeError(FIXME, errorMsg, in, currentInstruction);
             }