diff --git a/core/vdbe/execute.rs b/core/vdbe/execute.rs
index ec1c9b526..efe652686 100644
--- a/core/vdbe/execute.rs
+++ b/core/vdbe/execute.rs
@@ -4781,6 +4781,9 @@ pub fn op_function(
             #[cfg(feature = "fs")]
             #[cfg(not(target_family = "wasm"))]
             ScalarFunc::LoadExtension => {
+                if !program.connection.db.can_load_extensions() {
+                    crate::bail_parse_error!("runtime extension loading is disabled");
+                }
                 let extension = &state.registers[*start_reg];
                 let ext = resolve_ext_path(&extension.get_value().to_string())?;
                 program.connection.load_extension(ext)?;