diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b1ee601..89851f0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ else
 	PORTS_LDFLAGS := -L/opt/local/lib -lhidapi -framework IOKit -framework CoreFoundation
       endif
       BSLHID_OBJ = transport/bslosx.o
-      RF25000_OBJ = transport/rf2500hidapi.o
+      RF25000_OBJ += transport/rf2500hidapi.o
       LDFLAGS =
     else ifneq ($(filter $(UNAME_S),OpenBSD NetBSD DragonFly),)
 	PORTS_CFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags libusb)
diff --git a/transport/rf2500.c b/transport/rf2500.c
index 468ebe4..aa175ae 100644
--- a/transport/rf2500.c
+++ b/transport/rf2500.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ static const struct transport_class rf2500_transport = {
 	.set_modem	= usbtr_set_modem
 };
 
-transport_t rf2500_open(const char *devpath, const char *requested_serial)
+transport_t rf2500_libusb_open(const char *devpath, const char *requested_serial)
 {
 	struct rf2500_transport *tr = malloc(sizeof(*tr));
 	struct usb_device *dev;
diff --git a/transport/rf2500.h b/transport/rf2500.h
index a702102..1e5d75e 100644
--- a/transport/rf2500.h
+++ b/transport/rf2500.h
@@ -28,5 +28,6 @@
  * A particular device may be specified in bus:dev form.
  */
 transport_t rf2500_open(const char *dev_path, const char *requested_serial);
+transport_t rf2500_libusb_open(const char *dev_path, const char *requested_serial);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/transport/rf2500hidapi.c b/transport/rf2500hidapi.c
index 331c4b9..2795e11 100644
--- a/transport/rf2500hidapi.c
+++ b/transport/rf2500hidapi.c
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ transport_t rf2500_open(const char *devpath, const char *requested_serial)
 		printc_err("rf2500: failed to open RF2500 device\n");
 		free(tr);
 		hid_exit();
-		return NULL;
+		printc_err("rf2500: fallback to libusb backend\n");
+		return rf2500_libusb_open(devpath, requested_serial);
 	}
 
 	tr->handle = handle;