diff --git a/src/hb-wasm-shape.cc b/src/hb-wasm-shape.cc
index 5ad1b483a..439de4704 100644
--- a/src/hb-wasm-shape.cc
+++ b/src/hb-wasm-shape.cc
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ static hb_wasm_shape_plan_t *
 acquire_shape_plan (hb_face_t *face,
 		    const hb_wasm_face_data_t *face_data)
 {
+  char error[128];
+
   /* Fetch cached one if available. */
   hb_wasm_shape_plan_t *plan = face_data->plan.get_acquire ();
   if (likely (plan && face_data->plan.cmpexch (plan, nullptr)))
@@ -146,12 +148,12 @@ acquire_shape_plan (hb_face_t *face,
 
   constexpr uint32_t stack_size = 32 * 1024, heap_size = 2 * 1024 * 1024;
 
-  module_inst = plan->module_inst = wasm_runtime_instantiate(face_data->wasm_module,
-							     stack_size, heap_size,
-							     nullptr, 0);
+  module_inst = plan->module_inst = wasm_runtime_instantiate (face_data->wasm_module,
+							      stack_size, heap_size,
+							      error, sizeof (error));
   if (unlikely (!module_inst))
   {
-    DEBUG_MSG (WASM, face_data, "Create wasm module instance failed.");
+    DEBUG_MSG (WASM, face_data, "Create wasm module instance failed: %s", error);
     goto fail;
   }