diff --git a/wp-includes/functions.php b/wp-includes/functions.php
index 6da652e58a..d5d1b7fc2d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -198,10 +198,10 @@ function get_option($setting) {
 
 		if ( false === $value ) {
 			if ( defined('WP_INSTALLING') )
-				$wpdb->hide_errors();
+				$show = $wpdb->hide_errors();
 			$row = $wpdb->get_row("SELECT option_value FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = '$setting' LIMIT 1");
 			if ( defined('WP_INSTALLING') )
-				$wpdb->show_errors();
+				$wpdb->show_errors($show);
 
 			if( is_object( $row) ) { // Has to be get_row instead of get_var because of funkiness with 0, false, null values
 				$value = $row->option_value;
@@ -236,11 +236,11 @@ function form_option($option) {
 
 function get_alloptions() {
 	global $wpdb, $wp_queries;
-	$wpdb->hide_errors();
+	$show = $wpdb->hide_errors();
 	if ( !$options = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT option_name, option_value FROM $wpdb->options WHERE autoload = 'yes'") ) {
 		$options = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT option_name, option_value FROM $wpdb->options");
 	}
-	$wpdb->show_errors();
+	$wpdb->show_errors($show);
 
 	foreach ($options as $option) {
 		// "When trying to design a foolproof system,
@@ -263,10 +263,10 @@ function wp_load_alloptions() {
 	$alloptions = wp_cache_get('alloptions', 'options');
 
 	if ( !$alloptions ) {
-		$wpdb->hide_errors();
+		$show = $wpdb->hide_errors();
 		if ( !$alloptions_db = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT option_name, option_value FROM $wpdb->options WHERE autoload = 'yes'") )
 			$alloptions_db = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT option_name, option_value FROM $wpdb->options");
-		$wpdb->show_errors();
+		$wpdb->show_errors($show);
 		$alloptions = array();
 		foreach ( (array) $alloptions_db as $o )
 			$alloptions[$o->option_name] = $o->option_value;
@@ -892,9 +892,9 @@ function do_robots() {
 
 function is_blog_installed() {
 	global $wpdb;
-	$wpdb->hide_errors();
+	$show = $wpdb->hide_errors();
 	$installed = $wpdb->get_var("SELECT option_value FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = 'siteurl'");
-	$wpdb->show_errors();
+	$wpdb->show_errors($show);
 
 	$install_status = !empty( $installed ) ? TRUE : FALSE;
 	return $install_status;
diff --git a/wp-includes/pluggable.php b/wp-includes/pluggable.php
index cfeabeeb2c..32281e67d7 100644
--- a/wp-includes/pluggable.php
+++ b/wp-includes/pluggable.php
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ function get_userdata( $user_id ) {
 	if ( !$user = $wpdb->get_row("SELECT * FROM $wpdb->users WHERE ID = '$user_id' LIMIT 1") )
 		return false;
 
-	$wpdb->hide_errors();
+	$show = $wpdb->hide_errors();
 	$metavalues = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT meta_key, meta_value FROM $wpdb->usermeta WHERE user_id = '$user_id'");
-	$wpdb->show_errors();
+	$wpdb->show_errors($show);
 
 	if ($metavalues) {
 		foreach ( $metavalues as $meta ) {
diff --git a/wp-includes/wp-db.php b/wp-includes/wp-db.php
index a2b98c7c66..65808311c5 100644
--- a/wp-includes/wp-db.php
+++ b/wp-includes/wp-db.php
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if (!defined('SAVEQUERIES'))
 
 class wpdb {
 
-	var $show_errors = true;
+	var $show_errors = false;
 	var $num_queries = 0;
 	var $last_query;
 	var $col_info;
@@ -149,29 +149,38 @@ class wpdb {
 		$EZSQL_ERROR[] =
 		array ('query' => $this->last_query, 'error_str' => $str);
 
+		$error_str = "WordPress database error $str for query $this->last_query";
+		if ( $caller = $this->get_caller() )
+			$error_str .= " made by $caller";
+		error_log($error_str, 0);
+
+		// Is error output turned on or not..
+		if ( !$this->show_errors )
+			return false;
+
 		$str = htmlspecialchars($str, ENT_QUOTES);
 		$query = htmlspecialchars($this->last_query, ENT_QUOTES);
-		// Is error output turned on or not..
-		if ( $this->show_errors ) {
-			// If there is an error then take note of it
-			print "<div id='error'>
-			<p class='wpdberror'><strong>WordPress database error:</strong> [$str]<br />
-			<code>$query</code></p>
-			</div>";
-		} else {
-			return false;
-		}
+
+		// If there is an error then take note of it
+		print "<div id='error'>
+		<p class='wpdberror'><strong>WordPress database error:</strong> [$str]<br />
+		<code>$query</code></p>
+		</div>";
 	}
 
 	// ==================================================================
 	//	Turn error handling on or off..
 
-	function show_errors() {
-		$this->show_errors = true;
+	function show_errors( $show = true ) {
+		$errors = $this->show_errors;
+		$this->show_errors = $show;
+		return $errors;
 	}
 
 	function hide_errors() {
+		$show = $this->show_errors;
 		$this->show_errors = false;
+		return $show;
 	}
 
 	// ==================================================================