diff --git a/packages/core/src/error_handler.ts b/packages/core/src/error_handler.ts
index e4438ef315..decb71692a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/error_handler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/error_handler.ts
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ export class ErrorHandler {
    */
   _console: Console = console;
 
-  /**
-   * @internal
-   */
-  rethrowError: boolean;
-
-  constructor(rethrowError: boolean = true) { this.rethrowError = rethrowError; }
+  constructor(
+      /**
+       * @deprecated since v4.0 parameter no longer has an effect, as ErrorHandler will never
+       * rethrow.
+       */
+      deprecatedParameter?: boolean) {}
 
   handleError(error: any): void {
     const originalError = this._findOriginalError(error);
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@ export class ErrorHandler {
     if (context) {
       errorLogger(this._console, 'ERROR CONTEXT', context);
     }
-
-    // We rethrow exceptions, so operations like 'bootstrap' will result in an error
-    // when an error happens. If we do not rethrow, bootstrap will always succeed.
-    if (this.rethrowError) throw error;
   }
 
   /** @internal */
diff --git a/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
index 7fdfaf8442..5c137fc546 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export function main() {
       } else {
         options = providersOrOptions || {};
       }
-      const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+      const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
       errorHandler._console = mockConsole as any;
 
       const platformModule = getDOM().supportsDOMEvents() ? BrowserModule : ServerModule;
diff --git a/packages/core/test/error_handler_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/error_handler_spec.ts
index d63366884a..3d296c8af6 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/error_handler_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/error_handler_spec.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class MockConsole {
 export function main() {
   function errorToString(error: any) {
     const logger = new MockConsole();
-    const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+    const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
     errorHandler._console = logger as any;
     errorHandler.handleError(error);
     return logger.res.map(line => line.join('#')).join('\n');
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ ERROR CONTEXT#Context`);
     it('should use the error logger on the error', () => {
       const err = new Error('test');
       const console = new MockConsole();
-      const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+      const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
       errorHandler._console = console as any;
       const logger = jasmine.createSpy('logger');
       (err as any)[ERROR_LOGGER] = logger;
diff --git a/packages/platform-browser/test/browser/bootstrap_spec.ts b/packages/platform-browser/test/browser/bootstrap_spec.ts
index 059cb997c7..ad2851092c 100644
--- a/packages/platform-browser/test/browser/bootstrap_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-browser/test/browser/bootstrap_spec.ts
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export function main() {
     it('should throw if bootstrapped Directive is not a Component',
        inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (done: AsyncTestCompleter) => {
          const logger = new MockConsole();
-         const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+         const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
          errorHandler._console = logger as any;
          expect(
              () => bootstrap(
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ export function main() {
     it('should throw if no element is found',
        inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async: AsyncTestCompleter) => {
          const logger = new MockConsole();
-         const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+         const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
          errorHandler._console = logger as any;
          bootstrap(NonExistentComp, [
            {provide: ErrorHandler, useValue: errorHandler}
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ export function main() {
       it('should forward the error to promise when bootstrap fails',
          inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async: AsyncTestCompleter) => {
            const logger = new MockConsole();
-           const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+           const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
            errorHandler._console = logger as any;
 
            const refPromise =
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ export function main() {
       it('should invoke the default exception handler when bootstrap fails',
          inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async: AsyncTestCompleter) => {
            const logger = new MockConsole();
-           const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler(false);
+           const errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
            errorHandler._console = logger as any;
 
            const refPromise =
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/core/typings/core.d.ts b/tools/public_api_guard/core/typings/core.d.ts
index 1868d6001c..b9336c75c2 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/core/typings/core.d.ts
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/core/typings/core.d.ts
@@ -383,7 +383,8 @@ export declare function enableProdMode(): void;
 
 /** @stable */
 export declare class ErrorHandler {
-    constructor(rethrowError?: boolean);
+    constructor(
+        deprecatedParameter?: boolean);
     handleError(error: any): void;
 }