diff --git a/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/amdgpu/src/rtl.cpp b/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/amdgpu/src/rtl.cpp
--- a/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/amdgpu/src/rtl.cpp
+++ b/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/amdgpu/src/rtl.cpp
@@ -958,8 +958,7 @@
     if (rc != 0) {
       DP("Finding global device environment '%s' - symbol missing.\n",
          device_env_Name);
-      // no need to return FAIL, consider this is a not a device debug build.
-      return ATMI_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+      return ATMI_STATUS_ERROR;
     }
     if (si.size != sizeof(host_device_env)) {
       return ATMI_STATUS_ERROR;
@@ -1252,10 +1251,8 @@
           return NULL;
         }
       } else {
-        DP("Loading global exec_mode '%s' - symbol missing, using default "
-           "value "
-           "GENERIC (1)\n",
-           ExecModeName);
+        DP("Loading global exec_mode '%s' - symbol missing\n", ExecModeName);
+        return NULL;
       }
       check("Loading computation property", err);
 
diff --git a/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/cuda/src/rtl.cpp b/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/cuda/src/rtl.cpp
--- a/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/cuda/src/rtl.cpp
+++ b/openmp/libomptarget/plugins/cuda/src/rtl.cpp
@@ -663,10 +663,9 @@
           return nullptr;
         }
       } else {
-        DP("Loading global exec_mode '%s' - symbol missing, using default "
-           "value GENERIC (1)\n",
-           ExecModeName);
+        DP("Loading global exec_mode '%s' - symbol missing\n", ExecModeName);
         CUDA_ERR_STRING(Err);
+        return nullptr;
       }
 
       KernelsList.emplace_back(Func, ExecModeVal);
@@ -711,8 +710,7 @@
       } else {
         DP("Finding global device environment '%s' - symbol missing.\n",
            DeviceEnvName);
-        DP("Continue, considering this is a device RTL which does not accept "
-           "environment setting.\n");
+        return nullptr;
       }
     }