diff --git a/src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp b/src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp
index 55acded94..49d0b7a2b 100644
--- a/src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp
+++ b/src/core/libraries/sysmodule/sysmodule_internal.cpp
@@ -425,6 +425,12 @@ s32 preloadModulesForLibkernel() {
             continue;
         }
 
+        if (module_index == 1 || module_index == 2) {
+            // libkernel and libSceLibcInternal aren't directly loaded here.
+            // All we do for those is increment is_loaded
+            g_modules_array[module_index].is_loaded++;
+        }
+
         // Load the actual module
         s32 result = loadModuleInternal(module_index, 0, nullptr, nullptr);
         if (result != ORBIS_OK) {
diff --git a/src/core/linker.cpp b/src/core/linker.cpp
index 7ec2df385..167924759 100644
--- a/src/core/linker.cpp
+++ b/src/core/linker.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ void Linker::Execute(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
     Module* module = m_modules[0].get();
     static_tls_size = module->tls.offset = module->tls.image_size;
 
+    // Map libSceLibcInternal
+    const auto& libc_internal_path = Config::getSysModulesPath() / "libSceLibcInternal.sprx";
+    if (std::filesystem::exists(libc_internal_path)) {
+        LoadModule(libc_internal_path);
+    }
+
     // Relocate all modules
     for (const auto& m : m_modules) {
         Relocate(m.get());
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@ void Linker::Execute(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
     // libSceLibcInternal. libSceLibcInternal's _malloc_init serves as an additional initialization
     // function called by libkernel.
     heap_api = new HeapAPI{};
-    static PS4_SYSV_ABI void (*malloc_init)() = nullptr;
+    static PS4_SYSV_ABI s32 (*malloc_init)() = nullptr;
 
     for (const auto& m : m_modules) {
         const auto& mod = m.get();
@@ -88,7 +94,7 @@ void Linker::Execute(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
             // and for all the memory allocating functions, so we can initialize our heap API
             for (const auto& sym : mod->export_sym.GetSymbols()) {
                 if (sym.nid_name.compare("_malloc_init") == 0) {
-                    malloc_init = reinterpret_cast<PS4_SYSV_ABI void (*)()>(sym.virtual_address);
+                    malloc_init = reinterpret_cast<PS4_SYSV_ABI s32 (*)()>(sym.virtual_address);
                 }
                 if (sym.nid_name.compare("malloc") == 0) {
                     heap_api->heap_malloc =
@@ -181,17 +187,18 @@ void Linker::Execute(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
         if (auto& ipc = IPC::Instance()) {
             ipc.WaitForStart();
         }
-        // Have libSceSysmodule preload our libraries.
-        Libraries::SysModule::sceSysmodulePreloadModuleForLibkernel();
-      
+
+        // Load libSceLibcInternal, run malloc_init.
         LoadLibcInternal();
 
         if (malloc_init != nullptr) {
             // Call _malloc_init
-            malloc_init();
+            s32 ret = malloc_init();
+            ASSERT_MSG(ret == 0, "malloc_init failed");
         }
 
-        LoadSharedLibraries();
+        // Have libSceSysmodule preload our libraries.
+        Libraries::SysModule::sceSysmodulePreloadModuleForLibkernel();
 
         // Simulate libSceGnmDriver initialization, which maps a chunk of direct memory.
         // Some games fail without accurately emulating this behavior.