diff --git a/lib/Cake/Core/App.php b/lib/Cake/Core/App.php
index b62e6601026..16b1c0db449 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Core/App.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Core/App.php
@@ -914,6 +914,9 @@ protected static function _checkFatalError() {
 		}
 
 		$fatalErrorHandler = Configure::read('Error.fatalErrorHandler');
+		if ($fatalErrorHandler === null) {
+			$fatalErrorHandler = 'ErrorHandler::handleFatalError';
+		}
 		if (!is_callable($fatalErrorHandler)) {
 			return;
 		}