diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IToolApi.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IToolApi.cs
index 37b3e0eaa75..924384f155a 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IToolApi.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IToolApi.cs
@@ -6,14 +6,23 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.Common
 	public interface IToolApi : IExternalApi
 	{
 		IEnumerable<Type> AvailableTools { get; }
-		Type GetTool(string name);
+
 		object CreateInstance(string name);
+
+		IToolForm GetTool(string name);
+
 		void OpenCheats();
+
 		void OpenHexEditor();
-		void OpenRamWatch();
+
 		void OpenRamSearch();
+
+		void OpenRamWatch();
+
 		void OpenTasStudio();
+
 		void OpenToolBox();
+
 		void OpenTraceLogger();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Api/Libraries/ToolApi.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Api/Libraries/ToolApi.cs
index eb058ba65ab..b46073ee063 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Api/Libraries/ToolApi.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Api/Libraries/ToolApi.cs
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ public sealed class ToolApi : IToolApi
 
 		public ToolApi(ToolManager toolManager) => _toolManager = toolManager;
 
-		public Type GetTool(string name)
+		public IToolForm GetTool(string name)
 		{
 			var toolType = Util.GetTypeByName(name).FirstOrDefault(x => typeof(IToolForm).IsAssignableFrom(x) && !x.IsInterface);
-			if (toolType != null) _toolManager.Load(toolType);
-			return _toolManager.AvailableTools.FirstOrDefault(tool => tool.Name.Equals(name, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase));
+			if (toolType == null) return null;
+			return _toolManager.Load(toolType);
 		}
 
 		public object CreateInstance(string name)