diff --git a/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php b/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
index a27147a63a546..9d7b7670c323e 100644
--- a/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
+++ b/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
@@ -441,13 +441,10 @@ public function connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbname, $prefix, array $dbop
         if ($dbhost and !empty($this->dboptions['dbpersist'])) {
             $dbhost = "p:$dbhost";
         }
-        ob_start();
-        $this->mysqli = new mysqli($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbname, $dbport, $dbsocket);
-        $dberr = ob_get_contents();
-        ob_end_clean();
-        $errorno = @$this->mysqli->connect_errno;
+        $this->mysqli = @new mysqli($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbname, $dbport, $dbsocket);
 
-        if ($errorno !== 0) {
+        if ($this->mysqli->connect_errno !== 0) {
+            $dberr = $this->mysqli->connect_error;
             $this->mysqli = null;
             throw new dml_connection_exception($dberr);
         }
diff --git a/lib/dmllib.php b/lib/dmllib.php
index a2229b9f439ce..b315481a8358b 100644
--- a/lib/dmllib.php
+++ b/lib/dmllib.php
@@ -344,6 +344,11 @@ function setup_DB() {
         $DB->connect($CFG->dbhost, $CFG->dbuser, $CFG->dbpass, $CFG->dbname, $CFG->prefix, $CFG->dboptions);
     } catch (moodle_exception $e) {
         if (empty($CFG->noemailever) and !empty($CFG->emailconnectionerrorsto)) {
+            $body = "Connection error: ".$CFG->wwwroot.
+                "\n\nInfo:".
+                "\n\tError code: ".$e->errorcode.
+                "\n\tDebug info: ".$e->debuginfo.
+                "\n\tServer: ".$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']." (".$_SERVER['SERVER_ADDR'].")";
             if (file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/emailcount')){
                 $fp = @fopen($CFG->dataroot.'/emailcount', 'r');
                 $content = @fread($fp, 24);
@@ -352,7 +357,7 @@ function setup_DB() {
                     //email directly rather than using messaging
                     @mail($CFG->emailconnectionerrorsto,
                         'WARNING: Database connection error: '.$CFG->wwwroot,
-                        'Connection error: '.$CFG->wwwroot);
+                        $body);
                     $fp = @fopen($CFG->dataroot.'/emailcount', 'w');
                     @fwrite($fp, time());
                 }
@@ -360,7 +365,7 @@ function setup_DB() {
                //email directly rather than using messaging
                @mail($CFG->emailconnectionerrorsto,
                     'WARNING: Database connection error: '.$CFG->wwwroot,
-                    'Connection error: '.$CFG->wwwroot);
+                    $body);
                $fp = @fopen($CFG->dataroot.'/emailcount', 'w');
                @fwrite($fp, time());
             }