diff --git a/qutebrowser/misc/wmname.py b/qutebrowser/misc/wmname.py
index 04d267d14..e27cca394 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/misc/wmname.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/misc/wmname.py
@@ -26,12 +26,15 @@ class _WaylandDisplayStruct(ctypes.Structure):
 _WaylandDisplay = NewType("_WaylandDisplay", "ctypes._Pointer[_WaylandDisplayStruct]")
 
 
-def _load_libwayland_client() -> ctypes.CDLL:
-    """Load the Wayland client library."""
+def _load_library(name: str) -> ctypes.CDLL:
+    lib = ctypes.util.find_library(name)
+    if lib is None:
+        raise Error(f"{name} library not found")
+
     try:
-        return ctypes.CDLL("libwayland-client.so")
+        return ctypes.CDLL(lib)
     except OSError as e:
-        raise Error(f"Failed to load libwayland-client: {e}")
+        raise Error(f"Failed to load {name} library: {e}")
 
 
 def _pid_from_fd(fd: int) -> int:
@@ -113,7 +116,7 @@ def wayland_compositor_name() -> str:
     Approach based on:
     https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69302630/wayland-client-get-compositor-name
     """
-    wayland_client = _load_libwayland_client()
+    wayland_client = _load_library("wayland-client")
     with _wayland_display(wayland_client) as display:
         fd = _wayland_get_fd(wayland_client, display)
         pid = _pid_from_fd(fd)
@@ -136,18 +139,6 @@ _X11Display = NewType("_X11Display", "ctypes._Pointer[_X11DisplayStruct]")
 _X11Window = NewType("_X11Window", int)
 
 
-def _x11_load_lib() -> ctypes.CDLL:
-    """Load the X11 library."""
-    lib = ctypes.util.find_library("X11")
-    if lib is None:
-        raise Error("X11 library not found")
-
-    try:
-        return ctypes.CDLL(lib)
-    except OSError as e:
-        raise Error(f"Failed to load X11 library: {e}")
-
-
 @contextlib.contextmanager
 def _x11_open_display(xlib: ctypes.CDLL) -> Iterator[_X11Display]:
     """Open a connection to the X11 display."""
@@ -307,7 +298,7 @@ def _x11_get_wm_name(
 
 def x11_wm_name() -> str:
     """Get the name of the running X11 window manager."""
-    xlib = _x11_load_lib()
+    xlib = _load_library("X11")
     with _x11_open_display(xlib) as display:
         atoms = _X11Atoms(
             NET_SUPPORTING_WM_CHECK=_x11_intern_atom(
diff --git a/tests/unit/misc/test_wmname.py b/tests/unit/misc/test_wmname.py
index 4c4b6c50c..bc0e1daea 100644
--- a/tests/unit/misc/test_wmname.py
+++ b/tests/unit/misc/test_wmname.py
@@ -21,17 +21,18 @@ from qutebrowser.misc import wmname
 def test_load_libwayland_client():
     """Test loading the Wayland client library, which might or might not exist."""
     try:
-        wmname._load_libwayland_client()
+        wmname._load_library("wayland-client")
     except wmname.Error:
         pass
 
 
 def test_load_libwayland_client_error(mocker: pytest_mock.MockerFixture):
     """Test that an error in loading the Wayland client library raises an error."""
+    mocker.patch.object(ctypes.util, "find_library", return_value="libwayland-client.so.6")
     mocker.patch("ctypes.CDLL", side_effect=OSError("Library not found"))
 
-    with pytest.raises(wmname.Error, match="Failed to load libwayland-client"):
-        wmname._load_libwayland_client()
+    with pytest.raises(wmname.Error, match="Failed to load wayland-client"):
+        wmname._load_library("wayland-client")
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ def test_wayland_real():
 def test_load_xlib():
     """Test loading Xlib, which might or might not exist."""
     try:
-        wmname._x11_load_lib()
+        wmname._load_library("X11")
     except wmname.Error:
         pass
 
@@ -187,7 +188,7 @@ def test_load_xlib_not_found(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(ctypes.util, "find_library", lambda x: None)
 
     with pytest.raises(wmname.Error, match="X11 library not found"):
-        wmname._x11_load_lib()
+        wmname._load_library("X11")
 
 
 def test_load_xlib_error(mocker: pytest_mock.MockerFixture):
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ def test_load_xlib_error(mocker: pytest_mock.MockerFixture):
     with pytest.raises(
         wmname.Error, match="Failed to load X11 library: Failed to load library"
     ):
-        wmname._x11_load_lib()
+        wmname._load_library("X11")
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ def test_x11_get_wm_name(
     qtbot.add_widget(w)
     w.setWindowTitle("Test Window")
 
-    xlib = wmname._x11_load_lib()
+    xlib = wmname._load_library("X11")
     with wmname._x11_open_display(xlib) as display:
         atoms = wmname._X11Atoms(
             NET_SUPPORTING_WM_CHECK=-1,