diff --git a/lib/setup.php b/lib/setup.php
index cd652f669b030..d46131cfb03ac 100644
--- a/lib/setup.php
+++ b/lib/setup.php
@@ -234,7 +234,11 @@
         } else {
             error_reporting(0);
         }
-        if (empty($CFG->debugdisplay)) {
+        if (NO_DEBUG_DISPLAY) {
+            // Some parts of Moodle cannot display errors and debug at all.
+            ini_set('display_errors', '0');
+            ini_set('log_errors', '1');
+        } else if (empty($CFG->debugdisplay)) {
             ini_set('display_errors', '0');
             ini_set('log_errors', '1');
         } else {