diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2e4e031..335a863 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -82,12 +82,7 @@ servedocs: docs ## compile the docs watching for changes
 	watchmedo shell-command -p '*.rst' -c '$(MAKE) -C docs html' -R -D .
 
 dist: clean ## builds source and wheel package
-	python setup.py sdist
-
-	./make/osx/build_wheels.sh
-
-	./make/manylinux1/build_wheels.sh
-
+	python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel
 	ls -l dist
 
 release: ## package and upload a release
diff --git a/wolfssl/__init__.py b/wolfssl/__init__.py
index 95ec4dd..b4f42f0 100644
--- a/wolfssl/__init__.py
+++ b/wolfssl/__init__.py
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@
 try:
     from wolfssl._ffi import ffi as _ffi
     from wolfssl._ffi import lib as _lib
-except ImportError:
-    pass
+except ImportError as e:
+    from wolfssl.utils import _FFIPlaceholder
+    _ffi = _FFIPlaceholder(e)
+    _lib = _FFIPlaceholder(e)
 
 from wolfssl.utils import t2b
 
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ def __init__(self, protocol, server_side=None):
         self.verify_mode = CERT_NONE
 
     def __del__(self):
-        if getattr(self, 'native_object', _ffi.NULL) != _ffi.NULL:
+        if getattr(self, 'native_object', None) is not None and self.native_object != _ffi.NULL:
             _lib.wolfSSL_CTX_free(self.native_object)
 
     @property
@@ -474,7 +476,7 @@ def __del__(self):
         self._release_native_object()
 
     def _release_native_object(self):
-        if getattr(self, 'native_object', _ffi.NULL) != _ffi.NULL:
+        if getattr(self, 'native_object', None) is not None and self.native_object != _ffi.NULL:
             _lib.wolfSSL_free(self.native_object)
             self.native_object = _ffi.NULL
 
diff --git a/wolfssl/_build_ffi.py b/wolfssl/_build_ffi.py
index 43a0fdd..9dfba28 100644
--- a/wolfssl/_build_ffi.py
+++ b/wolfssl/_build_ffi.py
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@
 from ctypes import cdll
 from collections import namedtuple
 
-libwolfssl_path = ""
-
-
 def local_path(path):
     """ Return path relative to the root of this project
     """
@@ -223,8 +220,13 @@ def build_wolfssl(ref, debug=False):
 
 
 def make_optional_func_list(libwolfssl_path, funcs):
+    defined = []
     sys.stderr.write("\nlibwolfssl Path: %s\n" % libwolfssl_path)
-    if libwolfssl_path.endswith(".so"):
+    if not libwolfssl_path or not os.path.exists(libwolfssl_path):
+        sys.stderr.write("WARNING: libwolfssl not found, skipping optional "
+                         "function detection\n")
+        return []
+    if libwolfssl_path.endswith(".so") or libwolfssl_path.endswith(".dylib"):
         libwolfssl = cdll.LoadLibrary(libwolfssl_path)
         defined = []
         for func in funcs:
@@ -244,16 +246,13 @@ def make_optional_func_list(libwolfssl_path, funcs):
     return defined
 
 
-def get_libwolfssl():
-    libwolfssl_path = os.path.join(wolfssl_lib_path(), "libwolfssl.a")
-    if not os.path.exists(libwolfssl_path):
-        libwolfssl_path = os.path.join(wolfssl_lib_path(), "libwolfssl.so")
-        if not os.path.exists(libwolfssl_path):
-            return 0
-        else:
-            return 1
-    else:
-        return 1
+def get_libwolfssl_path():
+    lib_dir = wolfssl_lib_path()
+    for ext in (".so", ".dylib", ".a"):
+        path = os.path.join(lib_dir, "libwolfssl" + ext)
+        if os.path.exists(path):
+            return path
+    return None
 
 
 def generate_libwolfssl():
@@ -282,6 +281,7 @@ def generate_libwolfssl():
         raise RuntimeError("wolfSSL needs to be compiled with "
             "--enable-opensslextra")
     featureDetection = 1
+    libwolfssl_path = get_libwolfssl_path()
     sys.stderr.write("\nDEBUG: Found <wolfssl/options.h>, attempting native "
                      "feature detection\n")
 
@@ -290,9 +290,10 @@ def generate_libwolfssl():
     featureDetection = 0
     sys.stderr.write("\nDEBUG: Skipping native feature detection, build not "
                      "using USE_LOCAL_WOLFSSL\n")
-    if get_libwolfssl() == 0:
+    libwolfssl_path = get_libwolfssl_path()
+    if libwolfssl_path is None:
         generate_libwolfssl()
-        get_libwolfssl()
+        libwolfssl_path = get_libwolfssl_path()
 
 # default values
 OLDTLS_ENABLED = 0
@@ -328,13 +329,23 @@ def generate_libwolfssl():
 
 ffi = FFI()
 
-ffi.set_source(
-    "wolfssl._ffi",
-    ffi_source,
-    include_dirs=[wolfssl_inc_path()],
-    library_dirs=[wolfssl_lib_path()],
-    libraries=["wolfssl"],
-)
+if libwolfssl_path and libwolfssl_path.endswith(".a"):
+    # Static linking: pass the .a file directly via extra_objects
+    ffi.set_source(
+        "wolfssl._ffi",
+        ffi_source,
+        include_dirs=[wolfssl_inc_path()],
+        extra_objects=[libwolfssl_path],
+    )
+else:
+    # Dynamic linking: use library_dirs + libraries
+    ffi.set_source(
+        "wolfssl._ffi",
+        ffi_source,
+        include_dirs=[wolfssl_inc_path()],
+        library_dirs=[wolfssl_lib_path()],
+        libraries=["wolfssl"],
+    )
 
 cdef = """
     /*
diff --git a/wolfssl/_methods.py b/wolfssl/_methods.py
index 7c672ae..a72b538 100644
--- a/wolfssl/_methods.py
+++ b/wolfssl/_methods.py
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@
 try:
     from wolfssl._ffi import lib as _lib
     from wolfssl._ffi import ffi as _ffi
-except ImportError:
-    pass
+except ImportError as e:
+    from wolfssl.utils import _FFIPlaceholder
+    _ffi = _FFIPlaceholder(e)
+    _lib = _FFIPlaceholder(e)
 
 
 PROTOCOL_SSLv23 = 1
@@ -111,5 +113,5 @@ def __init__(self, protocol, server_side):
             raise MemoryError("Cannot allocate method object")
 
     def __del__(self):
-        if getattr(self, 'native_object', _ffi.NULL) != _ffi.NULL:
+        if getattr(self, 'native_object', None) is not None and self.native_object != _ffi.NULL:
             _native_free(self.native_object, _DYNAMIC_TYPE_METHOD)
diff --git a/wolfssl/utils.py b/wolfssl/utils.py
index 19757ed..e4cece8 100644
--- a/wolfssl/utils.py
+++ b/wolfssl/utils.py
@@ -30,6 +30,19 @@
 _BINARY_TYPE = bytes if _PY3 else str
 
 
+class _FFIPlaceholder:
+    def __init__(self, cause=None):
+        object.__setattr__(self, '_cause', cause)
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        raise ImportError(
+            "wolfssl._ffi is not available. The CFFI bindings have not been "
+            "compiled. If you installed wolfssl via pip, the build may have "
+            "failed silently. Try reinstalling with: "
+            "pip install --no-binary wolfssl wolfssl"
+        ) from self._cause
+
+
 def t2b(string):
     """
     Converts text to binary.