diff --git a/comtypes/automation.py b/comtypes/automation.py
index 5a610ba0..3e7178f6 100644
--- a/comtypes/automation.py
+++ b/comtypes/automation.py
@@ -575,6 +575,12 @@ def ChangeType(self, typecode):
 VARIANT = tagVARIANT
 VARIANTARG = VARIANT
 
+_oleaut32_nohresult = WinDLL("oleaut32")
+
+_SysAllocStringLen = _oleaut32_nohresult.SysAllocStringLen
+_SysAllocStringLen.argtypes = c_wchar_p, c_uint
+_SysAllocStringLen.restype = c_void_p
+
 _oleaut32 = OleDLL("oleaut32")
 
 _VariantChangeType = _oleaut32.VariantChangeType
@@ -583,10 +589,6 @@ def ChangeType(self, typecode):
 _VariantClear = _oleaut32.VariantClear
 _VariantClear.argtypes = (POINTER(VARIANT),)
 
-_SysAllocStringLen = windll.oleaut32.SysAllocStringLen
-_SysAllocStringLen.argtypes = c_wchar_p, c_uint
-_SysAllocStringLen.restype = c_void_p
-
 _VariantCopy = _oleaut32.VariantCopy
 _VariantCopy.argtypes = POINTER(VARIANT), POINTER(VARIANT)