diff --git a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandler.php b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandler.php
index 5da7104ed7ca..c514d37dfa73 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandler.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandler.php
@@ -42,9 +42,11 @@ public function __construct($level = null)
         $this->level = null === $level ? error_reporting() : $level;
     }
 
-    public function register()
+    public function register($enable=true)
     {
-        set_error_handler(array($this, 'handle'));
+        if($enable) {
+            set_error_handler(array($this, 'handle'));
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/services.xml b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/services.xml
index 97dadfbef7d0..68c954d50cf0 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/services.xml
+++ b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/services.xml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
         <parameter key="response.class">Symfony\Components\HttpKernel\Response</parameter>
         <parameter key="error_handler.class">Symfony\Foundation\Debug\ErrorHandler</parameter>
         <parameter key="error_handler.level">null</parameter>
+        <parameter key="error_handler.enable">true</parameter>
         <parameter key="kernel.include_core_classes">true</parameter>
     </parameters>
 
@@ -21,7 +22,9 @@
 
         <service id="error_handler" class="%error_handler.class%">
             <argument>%error_handler.level%</argument>
-            <call method="register" />
+            <call method="register">
+                <argument>%error_handler.enable%</argument>
+            </call>
         </service>
 
         <service id="http_kernel" class="%http_kernel.class%">
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/test.xml b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/test.xml
index a9f89b556289..94c484dc820a 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/test.xml
+++ b/src/Symfony/Foundation/Resources/config/test.xml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <parameter key="test.client.parameters" type="collection"></parameter>
         <parameter key="test.client.history.class">Symfony\Components\BrowserKit\History</parameter>
         <parameter key="test.client.cookiejar.class">Symfony\Components\BrowserKit\CookieJar</parameter>
+        <parameter key="error_handler.enable">false</parameter>
     </parameters>
 
     <services>
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Foundation/bootstrap.php b/src/Symfony/Foundation/bootstrap.php
index dc222294baf7..9e88374967fb 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Foundation/bootstrap.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Foundation/bootstrap.php
@@ -287,9 +287,11 @@ public function __construct($level = null)
         $this->level = null === $level ? error_reporting() : $level;
     }
 
-    public function register()
+    public function register($enable=true)
     {
-        set_error_handler(array($this, 'handle'));
+        if($enable) {
+            set_error_handler(array($this, 'handle'));
+        }
     }
 
     
diff --git a/tests/Symfony/Tests/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandlerTest.php b/tests/Symfony/Tests/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandlerTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5837092a923f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Symfony/Tests/Foundation/Debug/ErrorHandlerTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Symfony package.
+ *
+ * (c) Fabien Potencier <fabien.potencier@symfony-project.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Symfony\Tests\Foundation\Debug;
+
+use Symfony\Foundation\Debug\ErrorHandler;
+
+class ErrorHandlerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
+{
+    /**
+     * @covers Symfony\Foundation\Debug\ErrorHandler::register
+     */
+    public function testRegister()
+    {
+        $fakeHandler = function($errno, $errstr)
+        {
+            die('Fake error handler triggered');
+        };
+
+        $oldHandler = set_error_handler($fakeHandler);
+        restore_error_handler();
+
+        $handler = new ErrorHandler();
+        $handler->register(false);
+        $newHandler = set_error_handler($fakeHandler);
+        restore_error_handler();
+        $this->assertEquals($oldHandler, $newHandler);
+
+        $handler = new ErrorHandler();
+        $handler->register(true);
+        $newHandler = set_error_handler($fakeHandler);
+        restore_error_handler();
+        $this->assertNotEquals($oldHandler, $newHandler);
+        restore_error_handler();
+    }
+}