diff --git a/auditwheel/wheel_abi.py b/auditwheel/wheel_abi.py
index 8b9eafee..2e27faef 100644
--- a/auditwheel/wheel_abi.py
+++ b/auditwheel/wheel_abi.py
@@ -40,43 +40,56 @@ def get_wheel_elfdata(wheel_fn: str):
     uses_PyFPE_jbuf = False
 
     with InGenericPkgCtx(wheel_fn) as ctx:
+        shared_libraries_in_purelib = []
+
         for fn, elf in elf_file_filter(ctx.iter_files()):
-            is_py_ext, py_ver = elf_is_python_extension(fn, elf)
 
             # Check for invalid binary wheel format: no shared library should
             # be found in purelib
             so_path_split = fn.split(os.sep)
+
+            # If this is in purelib, add it to the list of shared libraries in purelib
             if 'purelib' in so_path_split:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    ('Invalid binary wheel, found shared library "%s" in '
-                     'purelib folder.\n'
-                     'The wheel has to be platlib compliant in order to be '
-                     'repaired by auditwheel.') %
-                    so_path_split[-1])
-
-            log.debug('processing: %s', fn)
-            elftree = lddtree(fn)
-
-            for key, value in elf_find_versioned_symbols(elf):
-                log.debug('key %s, value %s', key, value)
-                versioned_symbols[key].add(value)
-
-            # If the ELF is a Python extension, we definitely need to include
-            # its external dependencies.
-            if is_py_ext:
-                full_elftree[fn] = elftree
-                uses_PyFPE_jbuf |= elf_references_PyFPE_jbuf(elf)
-                if py_ver == 2:
-                    uses_ucs2_symbols |= any(
-                        True for _ in elf_find_ucs2_symbols(elf))
-                full_external_refs[fn] = lddtree_external_references(elftree,
-                                                                     ctx.path)
-            else:
-                # If the ELF is not a Python extension, it might be included in
-                # the wheel already because auditwheel repair vendored it, so
-                # we will check whether we should include its internal
-                # references later.
-                nonpy_elftree[fn] = elftree
+                shared_libraries_in_purelib.append(so_path_split[-1])
+
+            # If at least one shared library exists in purelib, this is going to
+            # fail and there's no need to do further checks
+            if not shared_libraries_in_purelib:
+                log.debug('processing: %s', fn)
+                elftree = lddtree(fn)
+
+                for key, value in elf_find_versioned_symbols(elf):
+                    log.debug('key %s, value %s', key, value)
+                    versioned_symbols[key].add(value)
+
+                is_py_ext, py_ver = elf_is_python_extension(fn, elf)
+
+                # If the ELF is a Python extention, we definitely need to include
+                # its external dependencies.
+                if is_py_ext:
+                    full_elftree[fn] = elftree
+                    uses_PyFPE_jbuf |= elf_references_PyFPE_jbuf(elf)
+                    if py_ver == 2:
+                        uses_ucs2_symbols |= any(
+                            True for _ in elf_find_ucs2_symbols(elf))
+                    full_external_refs[fn] = lddtree_external_references(elftree,
+                                                                         ctx.path)
+                else:
+                    # If the ELF is not a Python extension, it might be included in
+                    # the wheel already because auditwheel repair vendored it, so
+                    # we will check whether we should include its internal
+                    # references later.
+                    nonpy_elftree[fn] = elftree
+
+        # If at least one shared library exists in purelib, raise an error
+        if shared_libraries_in_purelib:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                (
+                    'Invalid binary wheel, found the following shared library/libraries in purelib folder:\n'
+                    '\t%s\n'
+                    'The wheel has to be platlib compliant in order to be repaired by auditwheel.'
+                ) % '\n\t'.join(shared_libraries_in_purelib)
+            )
 
         # Get a list of all external libraries needed by ELFs in the wheel.
         needed_libs = {
diff --git a/test-requirements.txt b/test-requirements.txt
index 4c60c312..658b14c1 100644
--- a/test-requirements.txt
+++ b/test-requirements.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ jsonschema
 numpy
 pypatchelf
 flake8
+pretend
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_wheel_abi.py b/tests/unit/test_wheel_abi.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d1d7a49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_wheel_abi.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import os
+
+import pytest
+import pretend
+from auditwheel import wheel_abi
+
+
+class TestGetWheelElfdata:
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "filenames, message",
+        [
+            (
+                # A single invalid file
+                [os.sep.join(["purelib", "foo"])],
+                "Invalid binary wheel, found the following shared library/libraries in purelib folder:\n\tfoo\nThe wheel has to be platlib compliant in order to be repaired by auditwheel.",
+            ),
+            (
+                # Multiple invalid files
+                [os.sep.join(["purelib", "foo"]), os.sep.join(["purelib", "bar"])],
+                "Invalid binary wheel, found the following shared library/libraries in purelib folder:\n\tfoo\n\tbar\nThe wheel has to be platlib compliant in order to be repaired by auditwheel.",
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_finds_shared_library_in_purelib(self, filenames, message, monkeypatch):
+        entered_context = pretend.stub(iter_files=lambda: filenames)
+        context = pretend.stub(
+            __enter__=lambda: entered_context, __exit__=lambda *a: None
+        )
+        InGenericPkgCtx = pretend.stub(__call__=lambda a: context)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(wheel_abi, "InGenericPkgCtx", InGenericPkgCtx)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            wheel_abi, "elf_is_python_extension", lambda fn, elf: (fn, elf)
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            wheel_abi,
+            "elf_file_filter",
+            lambda fns: [(fn, pretend.stub()) for fn in fns],
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exec_info:
+            wheel_abi.get_wheel_elfdata("/fakepath")
+
+        assert exec_info.value.args == (message,)